Lion King II: Heart of a Champion
by Kurt Wylde 42
Summary: Sequel to Lion King: Into the Pride. Danny and Simba are now co-kings of the Pride Lands. Danny resumes the search for his family, but both kings have to deal with Zira and the people. The return of an old enemy only adds to the complications.
1. The New Reign

**Well, here's my story. The start of it anyway. If you did not read my first book, Lion King: Into The Pride….DO NOT GO ANY FURTHUR! Read the first book or this will not make much sense. For those who have read the first book, I hope you enjoyed. Bear with me on the first chapter. Other than that, enjoy the story!**

Chapter 1-The New Reign…

It was beautiful. It was something that stood out among the land. The pink African daisy was blowing with the gentle breeze, some of its pink-and-gold petals fell away with the wind. It seemed perfect. Seemed. Because everything around it was the total opposite. Instead of grass, trees, and other flowers to go with it, there was practically a machine world. The flower was out in the open, surrounding by a metal surface and columns and columns of fuel containers. A purple-blue sky added to the eerie sight.

Running towards the direction of the flower was a figure. A two-legged being, running with a purpose. A purpose to live, as evidenced by the heavy breathing. The being jumped over the flower, definitely in a rush. Soon afterwards the flower was crushed under the reason the being was running: tank drones. The robo-tanks had the search lights on their turrets, searching for the figure.

The figure ran and stopped to catch his breath after rounding the corner around a storage container. Before his energy was back to full strength, he turned around to look back at the drones behind him. Suddenly, floodlights on his back caused him to whirl around. Danny Manning, co-king of Pride Rock, was blinded by the floodlights. He had to bring his hand up to block out most of the light. Another line of tank drones were there waiting for him. The turrets began to glow, accompanied by a low, resounding tone that began rising. They were about to fire on him.

Danny began running to his right as they discharged plasma bolts at him. As the ground exploded all around, him he tried to sort things out. Last thing he remembered, he was just starting out as king along with Simba just after overthrowing Scar. _How did I end up in this place? _He wanted to know why he was being attacked and where exactly was he. It didn't look like Earth. It was like he was in a very large factory.

He ran to the edge of the line, leading out into more open ground. A plasma blast struck a fuel container. The plasma boiled through the metal before igniting the fuel. The concussive wave from the blast helped propel Danny away from the tanks.

He ran over the open ground with the tanks close behind. Danny still didn't get it. He was in the Pride Lands one moment, and the next thing he knew, he was in some machine world. _Why are they attacking me? And what happened to the others?_ He wasn't sure. The only thing he was sure of, was to keep running. The tanks herded him down an enclosed road, with various intersections criss-crossing Danny's path. Danny kept running straight until he reached a dead end. He didn't have any other choice now but to face them.

The man caught his breath. "I…I don't know who you are, but if it's a fight you're looking for…" He pulled the M4 slung around his back off and up to bear, flipping the safety switch off. He didn't get a chance to pull it up until now because he had zero time to do that. He aimed at the first tank but his weapon, though it was loaded, did not fire. Danny pulled the charging handle back and a round was ejected from the chamber. _It was loaded! _Danny frowned. "What's happening? Why can't my weapon fire?"

Before he could think of a plausible answer, the tanks turrets glowed and discharged two shots at him. Danny, using his quick thinking, jumped up. He grabbed a huge power cable snapped taut across the road he was on. Using all of his momentum, he swung his body around and let go, landing on a platform behind him. He only had a few seconds to recover when two of the tanks moved up close and fired again. Danny jumped back up and grabbed the cable, swinging to the next cable like they were monkey bars. Some of the tanks turned around and followed him, firing all the way.

Danny knew he couldn't keep this up forever. If he didn't think of a getaway plan, eventually one of the tanks would score a fatal hit to him. He jumped up on top of one of the cables to think. Suddenly, his eyes were blinded by white light. He thought for sure he had been killed by a tank blast. But he wasn't. The white light appeared in sphere in front of him. It then sailed over behind him to his left. It stopped over a railcar on a track running right next to him, a hundred yards back.

"_Go to the light…go to the light…"_

The sphere had a voice, and a very familiar voice to Danny. "Mufasa?" The light went into the railcar. Danny didn't know what was going on; the sphere only added to the confusion. But seeing as how the tanks stopped and were about to fire on him, he decided to follow the sphere's advice and jumped just as the railcar came by him. He just barely grabbed hold of the safety rail and pulled himself over. But he didn't land on something metal, but rather something soft. And that something moved.

"Hey, get off buddy." Danny jumped off to come face to face with a young girl with long brown hair. She came out of the shadows of the car and pointed at herself. "This is my hiding spot."

Danny recognized her immediately as his youngest sister. "Callie?"

Callie frowned until recognition hit her too. "Danny?" That was all they could get before the tanks opened fire on the railcar. The hits shook the car violently but it held on to the rail. The railcar went into a tunnel and the tanks stopped firing. Callie, knocked off her feet from the blasts, staggered back up. "You mind telling me what's going on? One minute, me, Mom, Dad, and Raechel are heading on a Safari in Africa while you remain home for flight school." She glared and jerked her thumb in the direction of the tanks. "Next thing you know, these yahoos are using me for target practice."

Danny was stunned. She couldn't remember how she got here as well. It was like they were in a fun house. "You don't remember either? It must be some kind of virus causing memory problems."

Callie chuckled sarcastically and smirked. "You wanna see a problem? Check this out." She pulled out a pistol and a loaded magazine. She loaded it and tried to fire. All she got was a bunch of empty clicks.

Danny nodded. "I know. I couldn't fire my weapon either. I'm guessing it has something to do with the virus." They needed to get away and hide, try to sort things out without being shot at 24/7. He shrugged. "We'll figure it out later. Right now, we just have to keep moving."

Callie pressed her back against the wall. She looked at him as though he told her to test the pistol on herself to see if it would work. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. No way this girl is leaving this titanium-reinforced ship."

Danny noticed the railcar was no longer in the tunnel. He looked over the side of the car. Down below, the tanks were still matching the railcar's speed. Danny also noticed there were more of them and they were charging up for another volley of artillery. Deep down, he knew they would not miss. _Oh, screw this…_ He grabbed his sister and jumped out.

And not a second too soon, because as soon as they jumped, two of the shots connected with the rail car. The transport exploded in a bloom of fire and slag. Callie screamed as they fell down to the ground below. The two siblings hit the ground, rolling to avoid taking most of the initial impact. The majority of the railcar landed behind them, creating a roadblock between them and their attackers. Recovering from the blow, Danny and Callie both got up, running away to a safe place.

As they ran away, one tank drone managed to maneuver its way through the wreckage. It pushed some the metal out of its way with its hull, blasting some heavier pieces with its cannon. When it cleared the debris, it re-acquired its targets: the two humans. Calibrating its targeting systems, the tank resumed its tenacious pursuit.

Callie tried reloading the weapon again and fired. Again, she got the same result as the last time: nothing. "Come on, work. Work, work, work." Behind them, the tank the got clear began firing on them. Even though it was still far away to have any accuracy, some shots were getting uncomfortably close to them. Callie started whimpering. "Work, pretty please!"

It did no good, and Danny knew it. He didn't have a working weapon and didn't know how to fight these drones. The two of them kept on running. Before he could process any more thoughts, the white light appeared. Blinding him momentarily and appeared in a sphere again. It came up to an intersection. _"Go to the light…go to the light…" _The sphere moved to the left, leaving a streaking trail of white vapor in its wake.

Danny just assumed the sphere was helping him out. He looked at Callie. "…this way…" They began to turn when a plasma shot from the tank slammed into the corner. The blast propelled their momentum to the other side of the left-side road, but they kept on their feet and continued running. The tank was using all of its speed to catch up to them, and didn't slow down to make the turn. It drifted and slammed its side into the wall. But there was minimal damage. The tank backed up and then rumbled forward in the direction of Danny and Callie.

Running away, the two realized the road they were on was a dead end. They came to a small opening with fuel tanks along the sides with high walls blocking their way. They were trapped and couldn't climb out anywhere. Danny and Callie turned around to face the approaching tank.

Callie, whimpering at the terrifying sight of the tank, combined with the realization that they were about to die, tried to load the pistol and fire again. "Please…fire."

The tank stopped less than twenty feet from them. Danny looked up at the catwalk connected to the fuel tanks flanking the only way out. A shadowy figure slowly crouched on it. As the tank charged up a plasma shot, the figure jumped down. To Danny's surprise, it was a girl. She wrapped her hands around the robot's head, covering the "eyes". The tank's first shot went straight up in the air, while its second sailed directly in between and past Danny and Callie. Danny examined the girl's features. The long hair and trim, wiry build gave her away. "Raechel!"

Callie gave a laugh of relief. "Hoo, hoo…good timing, sis."

Danny's oldest of his two younger sisters struggled to stay on the tank as it fought to get her off. "Move it or lose it, guys. I can't play blind man's bluff forever." The rumbling of tanks behind her caused her to whip around. All of them aimed at her and fired. Raechel jumped off the tank just in time. The shots found a target, it was just the wrong target. The tank Raechel was on a second before exploded in flames. She landed and observed the wreckage. Her icy blue eyes narrowed at the other tanks. "Hey, you just slagged your own guy. That's deep-freeze cold." Another shot from the tanks shut her up as she ran. The tanks ignored her and rolled in front of Danny and Callie in a column.

To their surprise, the tanks transformed into robots, with the cannon on their right shoulder. It made them taller and even more intimidating. But Callie ran up to the first one in the column and looked at it. The tank had to easily be three feet taller than her. "Yo, tin-man!" The tank looked down at her. She pointed a finger at it. "Yeah, that's right. I'm talking to you, rust-for-brains." Without warning, she ran in between its legs, and with the tanks all in a line, she sprinted with all the straight-line speed she had, laughing all the way at how stupid these things were.

The tanks were too busy trying to grab Callie that they forgot about Danny. The front-most tank/robot looked up in time to see Danny charge it and jump into its chest. The tank was already leaning over and tried to straighten up. But it did so as Danny hit it with his feet, sending its momentum back further than it wanted to. The tank fell backwards and the tanks behind it fell over like dominoes. Danny got up and ran over them and took off after his two sisters.

Raechel ran down the road and took cover behind a fuel tank that was set up alongside. Callie rounded the corner followed by Danny. They waited and soon saw lights growing brighter and brighter with every passing second. All three of them held their breath, hoping they would not be seen. A huge convoy of tank drones roared by them, lights activated in a search to find them. None of them were spotted by the tanks. They waited until the tanks were further down the street before relaxing. They needed the break and time to catch their breath and figure things out.

Raechel looked back at the street in amazement. "Did I miss something? We were on Earth, right? I mean, why are these robots shooting at us?" Her head twitched. At the same time, Danny felt some pain in his head. He pushed it aside as they talked; he had more important things to realize.

Callie chuckled nervously. "Heh…got me. I can't even remember how we got here. Danny says its some sort of virus." She let out a yelp as pain suddenly spiked her head.

Raechel kept composure. "Not a problem. We just need to get to a hospital and find a cure for this memory loss."

Callie waved around. "Hello! We're in the middle of nowhere here." The pain in her head increased as she let out a scream, twitching in pain constantly.

Raechel also felt extreme pain in her head and let groaned in pain. Danny realized they were in trouble. "It's worse than I thought. The virus is more than just a memory problem. It's effecting our nervous systems and bodily functions. If we don't get some medical attention in the next few hours, our brain and neurological systems will cease functioning…permanently."

Raechel stared at him incredulously. "So you're saying if the robo-tanks don't get us, the virus will?" Her muscles began having spasms.

Callie groaned, exhausted from the pain plus the running. "I love having options."

Danny turned to see a tank stop and aim at them. "Run!" They moved out from their cover as the tank charged up a shot and fired. The plasma shot hit the tank and exploded. The blast sent the three to the ground about ten feet away. The ground behind them cracked and fell through the ground, revealing a pit.

Danny felt ringing in his ears. He was thankful the tanks fired plasma shots, because if they were projectiles, the shrapnel would've torn him, Raechel, and Callie apart. He looked up and snarled. Countless tanks came in from in front of him. He turned around to see more tanks from the other side of the pit. They were boxed in.

As he got up, his vision once again went white. The sphere appeared above the pit. It went straight down. Danny didn't know what was going on, but the sphere was the best source of help to him. No reason to quit believing that now. "Everyone underground, now!"

They ran to the pit and skidded only inches from the edge. Callie kicked some pieces of metal down. "What makes you think it's any better down there?" Callie asked, her pessimistic attitude evident. Danny didn't have an answer to her question, but a tank behind them did. A shot whizzed by them and connected with the support beams holding up a fuel tank. The storage container began to lurch towards them, about to snap and fall on them. Callie shrank back. "I withdraw the question."

She jumped down into the pit. Raechel followed, with Danny right behind. A shot narrowly missed him and hit the tank. The container tipped over and covered the pit. Danny, Callie, and Raechel screamed as they plummeted into the darkness. It seemed to last an eternity for Danny. His heart rate quickened with every second. The light of the pit darkened as the walls went from metal to dirt.

It was about three long minutes before they fell into a huge catacomb, with a deep pool to compliment it. All three of them wisely brought their legs together in a pencil dive and speared through the water. Danny's feet felt as if they were lashed with a bullwhip. Even so, he swam up to the surface. He gasped for air as he came up and swam softly to the ground. Callie and Raechel were already there, their breathing was heavy, trying to suck in as much as they could.

Raechel shivered. "Oh, I've had enough action to last me a lifetime."

Callie pulled herself totally out of the water and snorted. "Heh…you and me both, sis."

Danny pulled off his shirt and wrung it, draining what water he could get out of it. "At least we're alive and safe."

"Aren't we all, for the moment?" Danny and the girls whipped around to the sound of the voice. Danny cringed initially at the sound of the voice. He thought he was seeing things when he saw his sisters, but it still didn't make him remain calm at hearing his father's voice. Dennis Manning was standing at the mouth of a nearby tunnel, with his wife and Danny's mother, Gabrielle. Dennis gave the smirk that was the trademark expression between him and Danny. "Glad you could join us."

Danny ran to his father and gave him and his mother a hug. Callie and Raechel joined in as the family was reunited. Danny let go and looked between them. As much as this moment filled him with emotion, he needed to focus. He needed answers. "What happened to you? Last I heard, you were killed in Africa. Dead."

"Do we look dead to you?" Callie said, amusement in her expression.

Gabrielle shrugged. "We don't know what happened in Africa. We just ended up here."

Dennis locked eyes with his son. "What about you? Weren't you in training for the ship?"

Danny cracked his neck before answering. "Long story. But I also can't explain how I ended up here. But all I know is I keep seeing a white light, and it's been leading me to each of you."

Callie snorted. "Yeah, right."

Danny shrugged. "Call me crazy if you want, but if it wasn't for the light, I never would've seen the railcar coming and jumped in." He looked at Raechel. "We never would've found you if the light didn't go down the alley where you were perched on that catwalk."

"Okay, okay. We get the picture," Raechel said, hands raised. "So, what do we do now?"

"Right now, I say we get off of this planet." Dennis looked behind him. "This cave leads to a series of tunnels and pipelines. If we're lucky, we may come up on the surface where those drones are not. Then, we find a ship and get away from this place."

Gabrielle looked at him quizzically. "But how? We don't have a map nor do we have any knowledge of this place. The only things we do know are that we are regarded as threats and someone wants our blood."

Danny nodded. "But right now, we need a cure for this disease that's effecting our memory, before it has some fatal inflictions."

His mother held up some sort of blue fruit. "We felt the same disease, and I've found the cure. It has enough minerals and amino acids to cure the memory disease."

The siblings each took a piece of fruit. Danny took a bite into it. A horrid, bitter taste assaulted his taste buds. He resisted the urge to spit the fruit out of his mouth and swallowed. His sisters had similar reactions. Callie was the most dramatically. "Oh, God. This tastes horrible."

Gabrielle shrugged. "Who said cures taste good?"

Callie was about to say something but shut her mouth. She, along with Danny and Raechel, forced themselves to eat the fruit. They ate the rest of the fruit and shook from the horrible taste. At least they had one problem dealt with.

Suddenly, Danny's vision went white again. He knew that the sphere was going to appear and once again guide him. He didn't know what it was, but it was helping him and his family stay alive. The white sphere headed down the cave and waited there at the corner. Danny pointed. "Let's go."

"Why?" Raechel asked.

"Because I can see the sphere. It's waiting for us."

Callie looked down the cave. "All I see is darkness. Are you sure you didn't hit your head hard back there?" She pointed straight up.

Dennis held up his hand. "Whatever Danny can see, it's something to go on. We've got nothing else, so let's just go with what he sees." He turned to Danny. "Take point, son."

Danny nodded and they headed off where the sphere was at.

* * *

The Manning family, guided by the sphere only Danny saw, worked their way through the various tunnels of the catacombs. Soon, they catacomb tunnels were transitioning to huge, steel pipelines. The sphere would wait at a certain point, generally an intersection of pipelines, until they reached it. Then it would move to another location ahead of them. Occasionally, they would hear some rumbling overhead but it would pass quickly.

Under normal circumstances, Danny would be filled with emotion to see his family again. Problem was, they were being hunted down in a world they knew nothing about. That kept him focused on his goal. The last thing he wanted was to lose his family again. The sphere stopped at an intersection. Danny walked up to it. Then it went far down the tunnel on the right. Danny pointed to the right. "This way."

"Come on, how much longer do we have to go?" Callie was growing aggravated. This didn't surprise Danny; she wasn't renowned for her patience and holding her temper in. "For all we know, we're lost."

Raechel gave her a light shove. "Right now, the sphere Danny sees is the only thing we have to go on."

Callie waved around. "Do you see it? Do you see the sphere? Don't get me wrong. I'm glad we're back together and still alive, but this is crazy."

Danny stopped and turned to look at her. "Well, if you think this is crazy, what's your plan?" Callie was silent. "Go ahead, you're the one complaining about this. What do you want to do?"

That was the problem. Callie didn't have a better plan. Even though it was crazy, Danny's guiding sphere was the only thing helping them. She fell to her knees and broke out crying. Through choked sobs, she spoke. "I just wanna…go home. All I want is to have things the way they were."

Danny and his mother wrapped their arms around her. Danny felt that last statement ring in his head. He did wish things were the way it was before. Since the day he was told his family was killed, his world flipped upside down. Since then, each day it felt more and more like a living hell. He knew exactly how Callie felt. "Callie, I want to go home as well. But the sphere has been the only thing helping me out, and we just gotta trust it. Hopefully we can all get off of this nightmare of a place and head home and have a barbeque."

Gabrielle laughed lightly. "I'm a little up for that. Even with your father's cooking."

Dennis smirked and flew his arms up in the air. "Hey! My cooking is not that bad." His eyes hardened and his voice cooled to an even tone. "But Danny is right. It's all we have. Whatever he sees, it's leading us somewhere. Maybe an escape."

Danny and Gabrielle helped Callie up. Callie nodded. "Alright, let's get going."

Danny took point with the rest of the family behind him. The sphere didn't move, hovering in one spot. They headed down the tunnel to where the sphere was at. It was a full kilometer before they reached the sphere. The sphere suddenly shot straight up. Danny ran to the spot where the sphere was. He stopped at an intersection of tunnels. Looking straight up, he saw the sphere hovering above him. "It's up there."

The others ran to where Danny was standing and looked up. Callie groaned. "Great. How are we supposed to get up there?"

Danny looked around until his eyes focused on the corner to his right. "By ladder." He ran to the ladder on the wall and began to climb up. He stopped to turn around and saw his family standing there. "What are you waiting for? Let's go." The Mannings popped out of their trance and began to climb. Danny climbed up rung after rung until he reached the sphere. The sphere just hovered there. Danny frowned. "Where to now?" It just hovered there. Danny's eyes narrowed. "Come on, where do I go from here?" The sphere suddenly hit the ceiling and bounced off. It returned to its idle hovering position. Danny got the picture and pushed against the ceiling. It turned out to be a sewer plate and it came off with ease. Danny shoved it aside and climbed up to look around.

They were in a huge motor pool of some kind. Numerous vehicles and drones were on fork lifts, disassembled for repair. Thankfully, there were no active drones in sight. Aside from Danny, there was no one and nothing online. Only the light of the purplish-blue sky gave illumination. Danny watched the sphere hovered around a lone vehicle ten feet away from him. It was a rover of some sort. It sported four heavy-duty tires, which probably was on an independent axle system for off-road travel, but it would still work for the roads. It held four seats but the rover had an armament: a 25mm cannon hooked up on a swivel. But it looked like the gunner would have to stand up in order to operate the heavy weapon.

He helped his family up the ladder and pointed to the rover. "The sphere is hanging over the rover. I think it wants us to take the vehicle."

Dennis nodded. "I don't know what class of vehicle that is, but I do recognize the 25 mil. I'll man the cannon."

They ran to the vehicle. Danny sat in the driver seat. "I'm the only one who can see the sphere, so I'll drive the rover." He noticed Raechel wasn't seated. "Something wrong?"

Raechel smirked. "No, but I found some party favors." She pulled rifles out of her seat, which was the reason she didn't sit down.

Danny's eyebrows rose. "XM8 assault rifles." Originally an experiment weapon, XM8's were meant to supplant the M16 and M4's for the military. They carried 30-round magazines and 4x optic scopes. And each one of the rifles in the rover had an M320 grenade launcher, with 40mm HE grenades. The magazines held 5.56mm rounds, smaller rounds that Danny was not a big fan of. True, they gave the ability to pack more rounds in a magazine, but they didn't pack the punch that he liked in the 7.62mm rounds. Still, beggars can't be choosers, and this was no exception. "These might come in handy."

Callie and Raechel, and Danny knew how to operate the weapons thanks to their father. Their mother didn't know, so Callie gave her a quick crash course on the weapon. Dennis made sure the 25mm was loaded while the girls loaded their rifles. Danny was glad there was no key to the vehicle, only a toggle switch. He pressed the button and the diesel engine roared to life. Danny noticed his speedometer's max speed was 90mph. He would have to make do with it.

Engaging the shift stick and releasing the clutch, he gunned the engines and drove to the door. He could see the door was closed, but there was a huge window pane to his left. He veered in that direction. "Hang on to something tight!" He shouted over the engine noise. Everyone complied, but Danny felt the rover make a loud _thump_. A second later the pane shattered, giving him a clean shot through without hitting any glass. Danny shot through and landed on a huge highway. He craned his neck around to look at his father. The 25mm's cannon was still billowing smoke. "That works."

Dennis patted the cannon. "Happy to assist."

The sphere appeared in front of Danny and went out about ten meters ahead of him. Danny could see the sphere was leading him through the most empty roads, mostly back roads. They hadn't met with any drones, but never let their guard down. Soon, Danny realized that the sphere was leading him to a huge hangar. It was a huge dome, with steel-reinforced walls. That would provide initial protection should they be detected and bombarded.

Their were just two problems. First, they didn't know if anyone was waiting for them. It could be an ambush, but the sphere hadn't led them into one so far. Second, and this was the more important problem, there was a twenty foot gap in between the bridge in front of them. The one upside to that was the bridge was inclining where the gap was at. That left only one option.

Callie noticed the situation and slumped back in her seat. "Great, now what do we do?"

Danny shifted into reverse and backed up about another fifty meters. He hit the brakes and shifted into first gear. "The only thing we can do."

Gabrielle tightened her seat belt and placed her XM8 in her lap. "So this will be…somewhat of a rough ride, I take it?"

Danny smirked. "Mom, you've got a talent for understatement. Buckle and knuckle up, everyone."

Raechel's eyes widened, as she knew what was coming next. "Don't even think about it, Danny."

"Never do, Rae." With that last statement, he gunned the engines. In his rearview mirror, he saw his father sit down and press himself behind Raechel's seat. Danny shifted gears as they closed on the gap. He reached the top gear and speed just before they started driving up the incline. Adrenaline pumped through Danny's veins as they reached the end. In a split second, they were airborne. Unlike the others, Danny kept his eyes open. He needed to be able to control the vehicle when it hit the ground.

The rover's tires and suspension absorbed most of the shock as they hit the ground. The vehicle bounced up in the air, but when it landed the forward axle broke. Danny was left with no steering, so he engaged the emergency brake and held on to the wheel. The rover began to power slide as it smashed through the glass. Danny attempted to steer, but ending up slamming into a huge pile of construction beams, sending the vehicle into a spin the other way. It finally stopped and everything was silent.

Danny finally looked to around. There was no one in the hangar, which was good. He doubted anyone around would be friendly. He looked to his family. "Mom? Are you still with me?"

She lifted her head and nodded, as if she were impressed. "Interesting ride."

Danny was relieved. At least his mother was still okay. "Is anyone hurt?"

Raechel gave a sloppy salute. "I'm okay."

Callie got up quickly and stepped on the deck behind her. She was looking behind Raechel's seat. "Danny, get over here."

Danny unbuckled his seat belt and jumped out. He ran around and saw what Callie saw. He felt his heart squeeze tightly. His father was against the back of Raechel's seat. A hydraulic pipe was sticking out from the side of the rover and was jabbed into his abdomen. Normally, a man would be screaming in pain. But even though his father was pushing sixty, his body was as vital and built as a football player. Still, his expression was full of pain.

Raechel came up next to him, examining the pipe. "Oh, God. Talk to me, dad."

Dennis only managed an "Ouch."

Raechel motioned to her sister. "Help me out here, Callie."

Gabrielle halted them. "Wait, wait. We're risking further injury. We need the proper tools to cut him out."

Danny looked around. His eyes instantly settled on the lone ship in the hangar. The spearheaded tips and angular disc-shaped frame gave it away. _It can't be…_Danny didn't understand how the _**Paratus Preliator **_got here. It was on top of the summit of Pride Rock. How did it get here? He wished he knew, but he was glad it was here. He pointed to the ship. "My ship…I don't know how it got here. But I do know it has the medical tools we need. We'll head over there."

Raechel grabbed her rifle. "I'm staying with dad."

"Me too," Callie added in.

Dennis shook his head. "Nobody's staying…just give me a weapon."

Danny nodded. "You got it." He swung the cannon around, lowering it to Dennis' position. "We're gonna come back for you, dad. You hear me?"

His father nodded. "I hear you, Danny. Now get out of here."

Danny patted his dad's trigger hand and stood. "Let's move out."

Gabrielle knelt down beside her husband. "We raised our son right, didn't we?"

Dennis gave his trademark smirk. "You got that right. You better get going, honey. I love you."

She gave him a kiss. "I love you too. Be careful." She got up and walked with her children.

Running was what it turned out to be, as Danny didn't want to waste any more time. He reached the ship and was glad to see the ramp was open. But at the same time, he was worried. Someone might've already been in there, waiting for him. He ran up and quickly looked around. After a thorough search, he found no one. Something in his gut felt wrong though; it was too easy. He placed it aside. He would sort out his feelings later. He walked back into the open bay of the ship. Raechel, Callie, and Gabrielle were all waiting for him.

Gabrielle had already found the medical supplies and equipment. "This is what I'm going to need to cut the pipe out of your father."

Danny nodded. "Okay, but first things first. We need to be set up for immediate takeoff." At seeing their stunned looks, Danny continued speaking. "Dad won't be going anywhere, and I doubt he'll bleed out within a half-hour." He opened up a box with portable headsets, handing one to each of them. "Mom, since you also have also flown, I'm gonna need your help. I need you to prep the ship for takeoff. The systems are easy for you to work on." He looked at his sisters. "I need you to wait outside. Keep an eye out for any unwanted visitors. I'll go up to the control room and rotate the air tray to align with the exit bay."

Callie nodded. "Let's do this thing and get the heck out of here."

* * *

Danny went up to the control room. As always, he was on his guard. After running for his life a few hours ago, he was fully alert for anything. The control room was a boxed room, with a huge, pipe-like window pane overlooking the hangar. The room featured two control pits, with a bridge in between them leading to the computer consoles and systems in front of the glass. Danny walked across the bridge to the consoles. He found the power switch and flipped it. Nothing happened.

Danny looked around and found a systems primer similar to the one in his ship. He flipped the switch back down, pulled the lever a few times, and flipped the switch back up again. This time, the power came back on. He could see his mother in the cockpit of the _**Preliator**_, working on the controls. Danny placed his headset on and spoke into it. "Mom, do you read me?"

"Loud and clear, son." She paused for a moment. "This baby of yours will fly itself."

Danny smiled. "She can do that, can't she?"

The ship was amazing, and Danny hadn't been able to use it much with everything going on. He looked around for any activity. So far, there was nothing. It didn't make sense. Before, countless tank drones were chasing after him and his family. Now, he had yet to see one. He was disappointed, almost wishing there were some to ease the queasiness in his stomach.

He heard his mom's voice over the headset. "Flight path is set."

Danny nodded and found the controls for the air tray. "Beginning rotation." He twisted a knob and pressed the power button. The tray, and the ship, began to rotate. Only a second after he pressed the button, did he hear the stress of metal, groaning in the hangar. Danny knew that meant that they had a problem. _What's that noise?_

His mom answered his question quickly. "Wh-whoa, stop the air tray. We have a problem." Danny complied and stopped the rotation. A few moments passed before she came back. "I'm reading an impounding tractor still attached to the prow of the ship."

Danny at least knew what the problem was now. "Can you disengage it from the cockpit, mom?" _Please say yes. Please…_

Disappointment settled in at his mother's answer. "No. I'm gonna send Raechel and Callie over to take care of it. Raechel can fix the problem."

Danny remembered she could hotwire things better than anyone out of the family. He knew what had to be done, but it meant doing the thing he hated most: waiting. "Do it."

* * *

Raechel and Callie ran to the front of the ship. They ran fast so they could get the tractor off the ship and take off. The last thing they wanted was getting noticed and killed before they even got away. Raechel spotted the tractor. It was a huge beam with couplings that looked like suction cups. "There's the problem." She ran up on the deck of the tractor and headed to the controls. Callie just stood guard. Raechel was the guru at this sort of thing.

Raechel set down her XM8 down and tried to unlock the control panel. All she got was an annoying beep. "The controls are locked…naturally." She sat herself down and popped open a hatch underneath the controls. As she began working on the wires, she talked. "Hey, Cal. Let me ask you something. You think we're going to get out of here alive? I mean, I wonder if there's anyone else trying to do the same thing? You think anyone's made it this far, huh?"

Callie turned to her. "Uh…"

Raechel kept on talking. "You think Danny is seeing a sphere that guides him? I mean, what if it's all just a bunch of mumbo-jumbo?" Sparks burned her hand as she accidentally crossed the wrong wires. "Ow." She groaned. "Callie, do you mind if we stop talking? I'm trying to concentrate here."

Callie smirked. She knew Raechel was implementing her humor in all of her verbal jabbering. Humor ran thick in the Manning family. Every time something came up, one of them would have some wise-cracking joke to give. And unlike some obnoxious people, they usually knew when to input their jokes and antics. But at least it helped ease the tension the family was feeling.

It was only a few minutes before Raechel clapped her hands together. "Yes!" Keying her headset, she said to Danny, "Danny, we're good to go, bro." Raechel got up and grabbed her rifle. The tractor pulled back, away from the ship, and retracted down to the ground. Soon after, the tray was moving again. Raechel let out another cheer. "Yes!" She turned around and gave Callie a "who's the best?" expression.

Callie smiled, but then the smile disappeared. Raechel's smile went away and suddenly gasped in pain. She looked down. Translucent, orange tentacles were sticking out of her chest. Callie saw in horror as some phantom-like monster rose from underneath the ground. Raechel suddenly turned into a bright, transparent blue body and vanished with a cry.

Callie's anger and horror let loose at seeing her sister die. "NOOO!" She opened fire with her rifle. Even though she had it on burst, the timing in which she pulled the trigger made it seem like it was fully automatic. She kept firing on the phantom, orange goo exploding on the surface of the creature and the floor. Soon, her rifle clicked empty. It took a few seconds before she realized it, and stopped. She looked around, only to see many more orange tentacles rising from the ground. They were huge, and they were all over the area.

She knew she wouldn't escape. Even though she was afraid to die, she knew there was no getting away from this thing. Over her headset, she heard her brother's frantic voice. "Callie, get out of there." She ignored the command. She knew it was futile. "Get out of there now. Go. Callie!" She set her rifle down next to the panel, a tear rolling down her cheek. "Get the heck out of there! Callie!" She feebly brought her hand to the headset, as if she could barely hear him. She looked up, and the ceiling was the last thing she saw as a tentacle swiped through her. There was a flash of blue, and she was gone.

* * *

Danny watched everything happen. His sisters were dead within seconds of each other. It was like he was living through what the chaplain had told him that day: his family's death. _Why didn't Callie take off and run? She could've gotten away._ He cursed and slammed his fist against the glass. _I'm not letting it happen again._ He already had the air tray in motion when he grabbed his rifle and aimed at the glass. He fired two bursts into the glass. He then jumped through the glass, landing on the deck in front of him.

He walked over to see the monster that appeared in the hangar. It was huge, about the size of his ship. It looked like a hybrid of a scorpion and a scarab. With a round, shell-like body and a tail that curved up and resembled a gargantuan cannon. It was moving toward the ship, its tentacles flailing around. Danny growled. "You're not taking anymore of my family." He raised his voice. "Over here, you son of a-" His voice was drowned out by the sound of his rifle firing. He fired in quick, sustained bursts. He launched his only grenade, and continued firing. He knew he couldn't do any serious damage with his rifle, but maybe he could get the thing's attention, long enough for his mother to escape. Danny was beginning to reload when the exploding sound of a cannon echoed in his ears, followed by a cry. He looked over to where the shot came from.

"Aaahhh!" Dennis continued firing the 25mm cannon, letting out a cry. Some of it from the pain, but most of it was a war cry. He saw the creature come up and head to the ship, and he was determined to stop it. Unlike Danny's rifle, the cannon actually did some damage and catch the monster's attention. Its tentacles were now retracted and heading his way. Dennis tightened his lips as he continued firing the cannon. Shots punctured the skin of the phantom, but it continued towards him. Dennis knew he was dead, so he didn't even think about pushing the pipe lodged in his body and trying to run. He just kept firing.

He aimed a little too low and a shot bounced off the ground. A little further past were a huge stack of fuel barrels, and the phantom was almost over them. Dennis saw it and aimed down towards the barrels. He wasn't sure if he was lined up, but he hoped it was. Dennis waited a few more seconds to let the creature come closer, and pulled the huge trigger. The shot connected with the barrels and exploded, enveloping the creature in a mini-mushroom explosion. When the blast cleared, all that was left in the area was smoke. The creature was nowhere in sight.

Danny, seeing this, let out a sigh of relief. "Glad to see you still got it, Pops."

Dennis shouted, despite the pain. "You're lucky you're my son, otherwise I'd smoke your hide." He let pumped up his fist in the air in victory. He sat back in the rover, waiting for his wife to come and get him out.

But that would never happen. The creature rose up from underneath him. The monster wasn't dead; it only used the explosion to dip underground again like a ghost. Dennis grabbed the cannon, but it was useless. It was directly underneath him, and he knew it wouldn't die even if he got a few shots off. The creature's tentacles swiped him and he was gone.

Danny watched in anger, shock, and terror. He just lost his father, the closest of his five immediate family members, taken by the creature. He aimed his rifle and fired like a madmen. "DAADDD!"

As if things couldn't get any worse, tank drones smashed through the doors and surrounded the _**Paratus Preliator**_. Danny watched helplessly as the tanks fired upon the ship, with his mother still on board. The ship was frantically trying to get off the ground, clumsily hanging in the air because of Gabrielle's lack of piloting skills. Danny could hear his mother's voice, completely in panic. "Come, get up!"

Danny was screaming through tears. "Pull up! Pull up!"

The shots boiled through the titanium hull and superheated metal. All he could now hear was his mother screaming. "AAAHHH-" The fuel cells were soon breach and the ship exploded. Huge chunks of metal were sent everywhere. Danny tried to let out a scream, but all he could manage was a half-choked cry. His family was dead in a matter of minutes. The tears began to run down his cheeks. He wanted to go out and kill the creature and tanks, but that would be suicide. It didn't matter to him anymore; his family was dead and he had nothing left. Before he could even move, he heard a cry.

"Danny, help us!" The voice was familiar.

Danny knew who it was. It was Sarabi's voice. The lioness who took him in as a second mother when he had nothing left. The white sphere appeared in front of him and began to head down a hallway. Danny followed it. He made a vow to protect his family, and now he heard the cries of someone who might be the only family he had left.

The sphere led him down a corridor. The corridor was long, with prison cells on either side of the walls. He could hear footsteps echoing through the hall, but he couldn't tell where they were coming from. He needed to hurry. At the end of the prison cells was one huge cell. Numerous lions and lionesses were crammed in there, but only one stood out to him: Sarabi. He ran to them and stopped right in front of them. "Hang on, I'll get you out."

A sudden, loud pop reverberated in the corridor. Danny felt excruciating pain enter his chest. He recognized too late that it was a gunshot. Heat and sweat began to build as he fell to his knees. His heartbeat began racing faster and faster. Danny's vision started to blur as he tasted blood in his mouth. He looked up at Sarabi. Her face was an expression of utter shock.

"Such a shame." Danny turned to his left to the eerily familiar voice. He looked into the barrel of a pistol. He couldn't make out who the figure was, as the dim light and his blurry vision made it impossible to identify him. The figure let out a low, dark laugh. "Welcome to my world, Danny." The next thing Danny saw was a flash of light as the figure pulled the trigger.


	2. Running the Show

Chapter 2-Running the show

Danny woke up with a fast start. He immediately grabbed his pistol and checked his surroundings, his eyes jerking back and forth. Sweat was pouring down his face. Danny was at a makeshift campsite out in an open field. Right above him was his ship, the _**Paratus Preliator**_. He wasn't in the Pride Lands, but some other piece of territory, in the middle of the night. Danny relaxed and brought his pistol down. With that, he broke down crying. He pounded his fists into the ground and curled up into a ball. After crying, he poured cold water on his face and wrapped his blankets up around him.

_The funny thing about a dream…no matter what happens, no matter how crazy it may be, it all seems to make sense._

The next day, Danny flew the ship around the area. According to his radar, he was a couple hundred miles away from the Pride Lands. He was over some thick jungle, but soon, he would be over a huge river. Many water veins ran through it, and this one led out to the ocean. He was about five minutes away from it, but just to be safe, he removed the safety locks on his missiles and primed his cannons. Even though his ship was a prototype, Danny's armaments were substantial; the _**Preliator **_sported two forward mounted two M61A2 Vulcan 20mm rotary cannons, with 2000 rounds each. In space, they were useless. But on a planet, they could dole out some punishment. Mounted on the center dorsal and center ventral sections of the hull were two experimental dual laser cannons. They had a recharging generator to provide unlimited ammunition, but they were prone to burnouts if the gunners fired continuously and not in short, concentrated bursts. Another problem was they had never been field tested.

Danny shrugged. _If those cannons are to have a field test, it'll probably be soon. _He found the river and dove down, flying low and slow. He kept a sharp eye out.

_I've been having that dream of my family on that planet, randomly for the last nine months. My friends keep telling me that it was just a dream…I wish I could believe that._

Danny skimmed the surface of the water. Now that he had some time to himself, he could use it to his advantage and keep looking for the reason he was here. He saw some wreckage ahead and accelerated ahead to check it out. When he got close, all he found were a couple of wooden canoes. Danny shook his head with a glum smile. "No way the family went on a safari cruise in a bunch of canoes." He was looking for a medium-sized yacht. That would stand out in a crowd easily here, but he should've realized from a distance that the canoes weren't his family's.

_My family disappeared many years ago. I was told they were dead, but I didn't believe it. These dreams keep haunting me, and are the only things keeping me from feeling at peace. Simba and I defeated Scar almost a year ago, and three years before that, I defeated Dasyu when I first landed here. I should feel safe…but I don't._

Later that evening, Danny hadn't found anything. Still no sight of the yacht was found, no trace of his family discovered. He had landed on a high pillar, overlooking miles of open plains. He ate some fruit and a gazelle he had killed earlier. He sat on top of the hull of his ship, drinking some water. As nightfall approached, Danny headed back inside to get some sleep.

_So as I search for my family, I've been living "off of the grid". No address, no cell phone. No one and nothing can find me back in the world I used to live in. For the past four years, I've erased all connections to the past. But as hard as I try, I can' t erase my dreams…my _nightmares

_. I can't shake off the possible truth that my family is dead. So I keep searching…anywhere…nowhere. I only pray that I find my family and everything can return to normal. But what if I'm here for more than that? I guess only time will tell on that._

_

* * *

_

Danny flew through the plains. As much as he wanted to keep searching for his family, he did have responsibilities back in the Pride Lands. As co-king, he needed to be there for his people. He managed to chuckle. Never once in his life he would think he would be considered royalty in his life, and never a leader of animals. He was just glad he could speak to all of them, otherwise this would be a pain to understand them. Simba could manage while Danny was gone, so it gave him time to go searching for his family.

As he passed over the plains, he saw something ahead. As he brought the ship closer, his mood grew dark as he recognized the place and what he was looking at. He hadn't been to this place in years, and it was not for anything good. The crumbled remains of Dasyu's old installation had been left unchanged. The mountain that Dasyu had built his base of operations inside of was still a huge pile of rocks and dirt, but grass had grown over it to an extent.

Danny would never forget this place, as it was where he was interrogated and imprisoned for a week. But it was also a place where he met new friends and allies. He had met a lion named Jabari and a portion of his pride, and the cub Malka, who Danny looked at as a little brother. He had rescued them from death and destruction, and in the process, killed Dasyu.

The man 21, soon to be 22 years old, glowered. Even though he had killed Dasyu, his gut feeling saying he was still alive kept Danny on edge. But it was years since those events happened. Surely, Dasyu would've made himself known by then. Danny set the ship down next to the area where he had escaped from: the hangar where he procured the speeder bike from. Danny grabbed his big gauge shotgun and dropped the ramp. He grabbed an optic flashlight to attach to the shotgun and his Iron Curtain(IC) remote.

Danny left the ship and activated the IC system and the ship faded from view. He silently wondered how much his father invested in that ship. He moved forward to the base of the mountain remains. Coming closer, he was surprised to see the hangar seemed to still be in one piece, despite the insides of the hangar telling a different story. All of the ships that were in there before were now slag, no longer serviceable. Cables were dangling from the ceiling and strewn out over the bay floor. About the only things that seemed undamaged were the crates in the far corner.

Danny heard the sound of crumbling pebbles to his left and whipped around, turning the flashlight on. He saw the powder falling from the wall like a spray of dust. He aimed the flashlight up to see what was the cause of the noise. Bats screeched when the light hit them and flew away to some other part of the hangar. Danny sighed in relief. "At least it wasn't anything serious."

He moved over to the crates. Most of them were electrical equipment, and didn't mean much to him. But a wooden crate surrounded by smaller metal crates caught his attention. The only thing that could even be considered identification was in a big, black code: **M107**. Danny gasped.

The only thing that came to his mind was the Barrett M107 sniper rifle. The rifle was meant for armor-piercing purposes on light and medium vehicles, as well as ballistic armor penetration for a foot soldier. It was also very heavy, but since its ammunition were .50 caliber rounds, that was expected. Danny's eyes lit up like silver dollars. He thought of many ways to put it to use. He would never use it on animals except on very large and tough prey, like rhinos and crocodiles. Other animals, he wouldn't even consider it; it would just be too cruel. But if any unwanted visitor, any hostile forces like Dasyu's kind, transformers, were to come into the Pride Lands, the sniper rifle could serve a useful purpose.

Danny smiled and opened the crate. Inside was a rifle case. He opened it up and looked inside. The sniper rifle was disassembled as far as the body and barrel were concerned, but it also contained a Leupold 4.5x14 Mark IV scope and bipod as well as three magazines. Danny closed the rifle case and hefted it up. "Looks like you're coming with me."

Danny was about to leave when he spotted the labels on one of the crates. He immediately recognized it: **MRE**'s. The food that he had lasted on for the better part of three years, apparently was used by Dasyu's people too. But before excitement hit him full blast, confusion dawned on him. If Dasyu was a transformer, why would he need food? And how did he get his hands on a military-grade sniper rifle? Danny didn't know, but it did confirm to him that he was on Earth. There were clues, but no facts. Danny didn't have this sniper rifle on the ship when he first landed here, so Dasyu couldn't have gotten it from him. There must've been other humans on the planet.

Realizing that all the answers couldn't be given right at the moment, Danny shrugged it off. "At least, I can have a little taste of home." Danny opened the crate and looked inside. There were enough cases to last him for at least a year. It would be a heavy load for the _**Preliator**_, but it would manage. Danny began pulling out the cases and lying them out on the floor. He would be spending some time carrying stuff into the ship and going back, but at least he had some new food and weapon supplies.

* * *

Simba had just finished his morning rounds. It had been nine months since he had assumed the throne along with his half-brother Danny. So far, there had only been a small amount of herds but Zazu was traveling as fast as he could go. Without a morning report, Simba had to venture out to find the answers himself. He had hoped it wouldn't be long before the herds would return to the Pride Lands.

The Pride Lands itself was a far cry from what it once was nine months ago. The rain storm that hit was just the start of an extremely rainy week. But the soil had soaked it all up, and now it was more lush and beautiful than when it was under even Mufasa's rule. The grass was greener than ever, with flowers budding all over the place. Trees had grown back with fruits dangling from the branches, with birds perched and making nests for themselves. The waters were now safe to drink and flowing with abundance.

Since Danny originally had come to find his family, Simba would occasionally take over fully in his absence. However, Danny knew he had a family to look after so he wouldn't be gone all the time. Simba smiled. He had admitted his feelings for Nala when they were reunited again, and now she was his mate and had already given birth to a male cub. They named him Tanabi, and he had grown over the months. Now, Nala was pregnant again and would be expecting within a month. Tanabi, in many ways, resembled his father. Golden fur, ruby eyes, the only difference between them was that after six months Tanabi was already sporting a shorn, red mane.

But that was about all of the good news he could think of at the moment. Already, there were problems with the people. They were divided into four groups as far as the leaders. Some didn't mind having two kings rule, but the majority of them did not.

On one hand, there were those who supported Simba. He was the rightful heir before Scar intervened, and was a lion. Some didn't support having a man lead them and even went as far as making fun of Danny. Simba remembered a cheetah mocking Danny, saying, "All hail the outsider who is king!" It didn't settle well with Danny, but he knew this was to be expected. He had to earn their respect.

On the other hand, many supported Danny. He had weathered the tough times with the lionesses during those three years while Simba had run off to forget his responsibilities and just have fun in his little "Hakuna Matata" world. Danny did defend Simba, saying that he wouldn't have been able to do anything because he was a cub at the time. But people knew that Danny would also be able to use his weapons to defend the lands.

And on the other hand, there were those who didn't support either on of them. At the center of that group was Zira. After the battle for Pride Rock, Simba and Danny went looking for her and her cub Nuka. They were hiding in a small cave and brought them back to Pride Rock. She had been spared, as she had no real crime to blame for. She never killed any of the lionesses nor order the hyenas to kill them like Scar had. But Zira blamed the two kings for killing Scar, even though the hyenas did that. She had been causing dissention among the pride, particularly the new generation of lionesses. He only wondered what would happen next.

But as for the rest of the pride, Simba had appointed new positions for the pride: sentinels. Sentinels would be lifetime appointments to male lions barring royal marriages. Their task would be to patrol the borders and repel any invaders. He quickly appointed Tojo as the leader of the sentinels, with Mheetu and Chumvi as well. Danny and Simba would make their normal patrols as well, but would be able to focus on the leadership role of king more often.

Kula had given birth a couple months after Tanabi was born. She had a son and a daughter. The son had brown fur and piercing green eyes, while the lioness had beige fur and dark blue eyes that seemed almost lavender in the evening. After discussing with Tojo, they had named the brown-furred lion Kovu and their daughter Vitani. They were truly happy to have such beautiful cubs and seemed just as happy as Simba felt about Nala and his own son.

Simba returned to see the pride sitting down, just outside the cave. Many of them seemed to be chatting amongst each other. But about a dozen of them seemed to be separate from the rest, isolated into a small clique. He shrugged this off and walked over to them. They all rose at the sight of one of their kings and bowed in respect. The clique did so, but not enthusiastically by any stretch of the imagination. Simba returned the bows with a quick nod.

He walked over to his wife and queen, Nala. He nuzzled her with affection. "How are you, Nala?"

Her blue eyes sparkled. "Wonderful, and even better now that you're back. How were the morning rounds?"

Simba shrugged. "As good as it can get, but without Zazu…I don't know how he does it."

"Understandable. We were just getting ready to go on our hunt."

Tanabi trotted up to Simba. "Can I go with mommy, dad?"

Simba smirked. He was surprised that his son wanted to go on the hunt. Nevertheless, Simba shook his head. "Sorry, Tanabi. You still are too young. You could easily get hurt or stepped on."

Tanabi looked as though he had heard this a million times. "Okay, okay."

Nala gave him a playful shove. "Why don't you go play with the cubs? I'm sure they would like to enjoy some company with you."

Tanabi smiled and left with Nuka, and a few other cubs. Kovu and Vitani were still too young to go playing, so they remained with Kula. Simba watched them run off and play with each other. They stayed within sight of the Pride Rock, so they didn't have too much to worry about. He turned to the sound of Zira clearing her throat. "Something I can help you with, Zira?"

Zira's expression was neutral but her eyes flashed with evil that was masked by an even tone. "My group and I will head off to the east. We will be back later."

"You're not going to hunt with the others?"

"No." She snapped, shaking her head. "We will hunt for our own food." She departed down the slope to the Pride Lands, with her clique of lionesses behind her.

Kamaria shook her head. "I don't trust them…Zira and her band of lionesses…something about them makes me feel uneasy."

Simba waved it off. "I know they're not too big on this new system, but they haven't done anything wrong for me to make a ruling on them."

"Yet," That was Zainabu who interjected. "Besides, you haven't seen what Zira was like during Scar's reign. She was just as sadistic and evil as he was. If you were with us-"

"That is enough, Zainabu." Everyone turned to face Sarabi. Even though she was pushing on ten years old, she was still plenty strong. Her hunting skills had yet to diminish, and served as second-in-command to the hunting party behind Nala. Her face and eyes still carried a powerful wave of influence on those around her, and her wisdom was invaluable. She walked in front of the other lionesses. "I may not like what's going on with Zira either, but Simba is the king. If he is fine with it, then we have to abide by his word."

Nala stepped forward. "I may not like her that much either, but Zira is still one of us. We must treat others with respect, even if it isn't returned."

Simba nodded. He was glad Nala had learned much from his mother. In fact, everyone was a better person from Sarabi in some way, shape, or form. "I know things aren't what they used to be, but let's work to keep that from happening. Yes, I know I wasn't here when things were at their worst, but that doesn't mean I don't get it."

Kamaria came up to him. "We know you mean what you say, and we know you understand. We just have our concerns about what she might do."

Simba nodded. "I understand, and I haven't dismissed this. I will keep my eye on her and her group."

Nala nodded. "Well, with that settled, let's go get some food. Zainabu, take your pick for your group. Sarabi, you pick yours and Kamaria will go last. I can't go with another child on the way."

Before anything else was said, a familiar sound entered their ears. It didn't take long for them to see the _**Paratus Preliator **_fly over a distant hill, on course for the Pride Rock summit. Danny had been gone for a few days longer than normal, and there was concern that something had happened to him. But now, he was back to help Simba rule the lands. It was odd, having two kings. But Danny and Simba had made it work, with a special bond that no one else could probably match.

Zainabu was the first up the summit slope with Simba and the others right behind.

* * *

Danny began to turn the music down. He had spent the majority of the trip back with the music cranked up. He usually went between listening to rock and rap. Today, he decided to listen to rap. Music helped relax him, and it helped greatly to get his dreams off of his mind. The subwoofers that he installed for his own personal uses showed no signs of deterioration, in spite of the fact that they hadn't been used that much over the last few years.

He landed the ship and powered down the ship. A system fault went off and he activated the missile safety locks. With the fault taken care of, the ship powered down. Danny walked to the ramp and pulled the lever down. He looked out at the Pride Lands and took in a deep breath. "There's no place like home." He walked down the ramp and turned.

"Danny!" Zainabu ran to him with unmatched speed. She jumped up on her hind legs and wrapped her front paws around his neck and shoulders. "I missed you."

Danny smiled, somewhat taken off-guard by the welcoming. He embraced her with managing a laugh. "I missed you too, Zee." That was his nickname he had given her, since it got somewhat annoying to say her full name all the time. They had grown very close over the years, and they were about as close to soul mates as man and beast could get. Danny let go and dropped to a knee, bringing his hand up and scratching her chin. He knew how much she enjoyed getting her chin scratched, and sometimes it was a bit of a tease when Danny would quickly scratch her chin and get up.

She smiled as he stopped. "I hate it when you do that."

Danny smirked. "You gotta learn to lie better." He noticed the rest of the entourage approaching him. The lionesses bowed low to him, and he returned with a nod, and gave them each a hug. After nine months, he never got used to the royal etiquette, considering himself more as an equal than a dominator. But as a king, he maintained good character and leadership. He believed in leading by example, and his example more than showed what kind of a leader he was.

Still, as a member of the pride, he treated them all like close family. Sarabi approached him, and Danny threw his arms around his second mother. She returned the embrace. "I'm glad to see you made it home safely, son."

"Glad to be home, Sarabi." Even though he did call her "mom" often, he still carried her name with respect. "Where's my brother and fellow king?" The sudden embrace from behind gave him his answer. "No fair, sneaking up from behind."

Simba let go of him and sat in front of him. "How was your trip? Did you find anything?"

Danny smiled glumly. "Not what I was looking for. I did find a new toy and some food for myself, but that's about it." Nine months of searching and he still couldn't find his family.

There was an awkward silence before Sarabi broke it. "Well, it's time to get going for the hunt." She started to turn with the rest of the lionesses. "We'll see you when we come back." They headed off into the fields of the Pride Lands, hoping to bring back some food for their kings.

Danny was left with Simba and Nala. Simba looked back the way the pride left and back to Danny. "You sure you don't wanna join them on the hunt?"

Simba's brother looked at him incredulously. "After traveling the past couple of days, would _you_ want to join them?"

The lion got the picture. "No, I don't suppose I would. Let's head back down to the promontory." They walked down the slope. Simba could tell by the silence that Danny was hurt in some way. Simba knew his brother well enough to know that. When they reached the bottom, Simba turned to his mate. "Nala, could you give us some time alone?"

Nala nodded. "Of course. I'll be in the cave when you're done."

As she walked away, Danny and Simba walked up the promontory arch. Simba had remembered the night when he and Danny walked up this very rock to assume the throne nine months ago. That was a memorable moment, and they had both vowed to return the Pride Lands to what they once were. When they reached the top, they took a view of the land. It was absolutely spectacular to be a part of the lands, especially after everything that had happened to it.

For the most part, there weren't that many animals in the lands, but that was slowly changing. Zazu had been finding the herds that had once lived in the lands and were on their way back. It was hard to keep track of the herds and give them land, but with two kings it was half the work.

Simba smiled. _If it were only so easy, _he thought. He looked to Danny. "Is something bothering you?"

Danny stared blankly at the lands. "No." His tone was flat, neutral.

"Come on, Danny. I know you better than you think."

"I'm just having an adjustment period. It happens sometimes." Danny was calm, but the look in his eyes said something different.

Simba noticed this, particularly the dark circles under his eyes. "You had that dream again, didn't you?" Danny didn't answer. "The one with your family dying."

Danny sighed. "Yes, I have." He shook his head. "It keeps hitting me at random times, usually the worst times. What's worse, is that during the dreams, I seem to forget everything before that." He sat down. "I just want the dreams to stop, but I can't do anything about it."

"You said it was the same exact dream. Is it supposed to be a sign of something?"

"You mean other than saying my family is dead?" Danny cracked his knuckles. "I'm sorry. It's just that those dreams have made me lose some sleep and I've been a little cranky." There was silence for five seconds before he spoke again. "I want to know what I need to do in order to stop these nightmares from happening."

"I wish I could help. Maybe time will tell on this."

"God-willing," Danny added in. "But on to other things, things that require more immediate attention." Simba arched an eyebrow, his mind racing to figure out what he meant. Danny locked eyes with him. "I noticed that Zira was not up at the summit. I mean, I know I'm not one of her favorites, but I've been noticing a trend of her leaving a lot."

Simba nodded. "That's right. She and her group went off to hunt on their own."

Danny shook his head. "Simba, I'm not too keen on her staying. She could be a major liability, if not a serious problem."

"I don't think she's that dangerous to the pride."

Danny felt his anger begin to boil and his patience wear thin. "Of course you don't. You never experienced the Zira I knew when you were gone. Scar may be gone, but Zira is still around. To make matters worse, she's beginning to gather a group of lionesses to her cause, to a dead king that brought nothing but pain and grief to the pride."

"She hasn't hurt any of us, Danny. As far as I can tell, she hasn't lied to me about anything."

Danny pointed a finger at Simba. The anger in his voice was replaced by icy, lethal coldness. "She is dangerous. While I think she had nothing to do with what happened to Mufasa, she did have a lot to do with the pain the pride had to endure."

Simba kept cool. "You're dancing on razor-sharp rocks, Danny."

Danny looked out into the land, and then back to him. "I'm not gonna give her another chance to rule these lands, nor try to slash another lioness' throat like she almost did with Zainabu…not on my watch."

Danny got up and began to walk back when Simba stopped him. "Danny!" Danny turned to face him. No matter how piercing they were, Simba's eyes always had the capacity for gentleness. "Danny, you and I are both the kings of Pride Rock. The people will need us, and to do that, we have to work together. I need you just as much as you need me." He turned around to face the Lands. "We've already seen how drastic the changes can be here, and I don't want it to happen again."

Danny nodded. "That is something I'm definitely with you on." Simba walked down to him. "We'll worry about the kingdom first, but I'm not leaving the issue with Zira out of the picture. The last thing we need is dissension among our own pride. If our own pride is divided, then how can we be expected to lead the animals of this land?"

"Words of wisdom, Danny?" Simba said with a slight hint of amusement.

Danny nodded, his smile returning. "There's a phrase I remember hearing. I think it was from the Bible. 'Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation.'" He paused. "We want to be unifiers, not dividers. Having our own pride unified will go a long way."

"Wise choice of words." Simba's expression became even more livelier. "You said you found yourself a new toy. Care to show me?"

Danny's smirk returned. "Follow me." He took him back up to the summit where his ship was at. Danny headed back up the ramp and into the main room. Simba followed and stopped by Danny, who was grabbing a container of an odd shape. "A little something I bought from the store." Simba looked confused, but just dismissed it as one of Danny's sayings. Danny went outside and opened the case up.

Simba was aware of Danny's weapons and how effective they were in combat, self-defense, and hunting. But this new weapon was huge. It was an extremely long rifle, with a barrel that was at least the same length as the body, if not longer. A huge scope, as Danny called it, was attached to the top of the weapon. Simba was impressed, to say the least. "Wow, what is it?"

Danny hefted the weapon up, indicating it was heavy. "It's a sniper rifle. It's like my M4 rifle that I use for hunting, only it can hit targets from a much farther range. The scope helps me see better."

Simba understood, but still didn't totally understand the fundamentals of the human's weapons. He did understand, though, that they were an effective means for hunting as well as killing. It helped give Danny a balance among the kingdom of animals. Without his weapons, he was practically helpless. His choking moves were effective if he could get behind an predator, but that was unlikely. "Will you be using this weapon on the hunts?" Simba inquired.

To his surprise, Danny shook his head with wide eyes. "No way." He pulled out a small round. "This is a round I use for my M4." He placed it down and pulled out the .50 caliber round the sniper rifle used. It was three times the length and about five times the weight. Simba could tell it was a far more dangerous than the smaller bullet. "This round can blow a hole through heavy metal. I've also seen some animals the size of wildebeests get blown in half by one of these."

The prospect of an animal getting torn in half shocked Simba. "What?"

Danny nodded. "Yeah, it has happened. I won't use this for hunting. Maybe for something really huge, and I mean really huge. But I won't use this for hunting on smaller prey."

Simba frowned. "Then what do you need it for?"

Danny pulled the barrel and heat shield off of the rifle and closed it back in its case. "You remember what I told you about Dasyu?"

Simba could never forget how Danny had met the man who turned out to be a walking metal beast that Danny called a robot or a transformer. He nodded. "Of course I remember. Why? Do you think Dasyu's still out there?"

Danny closed his eyes. "I was absolutely sure I killed him. But I keep getting the feeling he is still out there somewhere. If not him, then maybe another of his kind. This rifle not only can help me spot them, but make short work of them as well."

"Are the dreams a factor in grabbing this rifle?"

Danny thought that over hard. He was about to say no, but after thinking about it, he wasn't so sure. Those dreams had made him edgy. Were they now making him paranoid? Danny shook his head. "Man, I don't know. But it could be useful in the future. If nothing else, it can scare off some intruders."

Danny placed the rifle back in the ship and walked down to the cave with Simba. Nala was there waiting for them. Simba nuzzled Nala and looked back at Danny. "Nala and I are going to go to the waterhole on the western border. Do you want to join us?"

Danny shook his head. "Thank you, no. I think I want to play with the cubs and get some playing time with them."

Simba and Nala smiled. They had remembered when Danny played with them when they were cubs. It brought joy that he still had the desire to play with the cubs. It would give them some time to themselves while Danny kept the cubs occupied. Simba was especially grateful, since he wanted to make up the time he had lost with Nala. And when he wanted to spend time with his mate and son, Danny gladly would take the kingly duties for the day. Simba smiled. "Hey, if you want to, feel free. Maybe you should play the games you played with us."

Danny smirked. "Oh, I plan to. I need something to do to unwind."

Simba and Nala headed down the slope as Danny headed back up to the ship. Simba wondered why he was going back up, but didn't worry himself over it. Danny was probably just going to get something for the cubs. They walked around the corner and headed behind Pride Rock to the waterhole.

They walked closely to each other. Simba was happy to have such a beautiful and caring mate like Nala. She was truly something special. He knew part of it was from Sarabi and Danny. Though Sarafina was the main factor Nala was who she was today, Simba's mother and brother had been huge role models in her life. Sarabi taught her good morals while Danny taught her by his example of being strong and brave during Scar's reign. He also gave her a sharp sense of humor. She would crack jokes at the perfect moment, and would leave others laughing.

Nala's smile was infectious. "Do you think Danny will be a great king, even though he is a man?"

Simba's face slackened. "To be honest, he has proven to both of us that species doesn't matter. Danny has demonstrated good leadership, bravery, and has great compassion for others. In battle, he is definitely someone I wouldn't want to have as an enemy. Personally, I think he will be a great king."

Nala nodded. "My thoughts exactly. Danny is a great leader and is very brave. But I wonder if his bravery has to do with the loss of his family."

Simba jumped over a log with Nala following suit. "What do you mean?"

She hesitated for a second. "Well…think about it. He lost his family, not to mention the life he used to have. It would make death a less fearful prospect. He would be willing to go on suicide missions because if he ended up dying, he would see his family again."

Simba frowned. "I…never thought about it that way. If that is true, it would explain why he never seems his cheerful self when he has those dreams." Sorrow filled Simba's heart. "I feel bad for him."

"Me too. I just wonder when he'll finally be at peace with it. I never knew my father and lost my mother when I was young."

"And I lost my father when I was young," Simba added. "I guess the three of us have all lost someone."

Nala held up a paw. "There's just one difference between the two of us and him." At Simba's curious expression, she said, "He lost his entire family. We still have our family."

"Danny's part of our family."

Nala laughed lightly. "Yes, but he's not a lion. He lost his entire blood family, we still have ours."

Simba held up his paw. "Okay, I get what you mean. We just have to do our best to make sure he feels like one of us."

"That shouldn't be hard." A mischievous smirk played on Nala's lips. "You don't do a good job at keeping your mane neat."

* * *

Danny went up to his ship. He wanted to play with the cubs, but he needed some tools. He looked around his ship and found the tool he was looking for: an air pump. He attached a needle to it and began to head out. Before he did, Danny caught sight of a small but resilient rubber tire. Danny frowned. _Where did that tire come from? _He didn't need a tire for his ship, and wasn't sure why it was there. But then, a smirk appeared on his mouth, the Manning trademark. "I think that could be useful. Something the cub's would like." He grabbed the tire and headed out of the ship.

Danny ran down to where the cubs were playing at the base of Pride Rock. He quickly recognized Tanabi and Nuka playing near each other, with the other cubs around the area. "Hey, everyone. Come over here."

One of the female cubs began to bow. "Your highness." The other cubs started to bow.

Danny waved it off. "Please, not so formal. Just call me Danny. Titles make my skin crawl." They nodded and followed him to the tetherball setup, a spot Danny hadn't really spent time at in years. During Scar's reign, Danny couldn't have much fun with the cubs. Now, after everything the lands had gone through, the pole and tetherball he had set up for the cubs was still standing. The only thing that the tetherball needed was some air. That's why he grabbed the air pump.

As Danny pumped up the ball, he explained the game. "This ball is attached to a rope. When I throw the ball, it's going to wrap around the pole. Then it's going to spin back around. The goal is to hit the ball and keep it spinning. The trick is your timing."

Tanabi pointed at the tire. "Then what's that for?"

Danny finished pumping the tetherball. "The tire is for a little tug-of-war. Two cubs grab opposite ends and tug. The stronger one will end up pulling the other." He threw the ball. "Go get the ball."

As the cubs began swatting for the ball, Tanabi and Nuka walked over to Danny. Nuka spoke. "We want to play with the tire."

Danny tossed the tire from hand to hand. "Okay, who thinks they're gonna win?"

"I will!" Nuka and Tanabi said at the same time.

Danny smiled. He always loved to motivate others, especially the cubs. Nuka was a couple of months older, but his frail build made things an even fight with Tanabi. Tanabi's advantage was his build while Nuka's was his smarts. Brawn vs. brain. Danny held the tire down low for them to grab either end. Both cubs looked each other in the eyes with determination. "On three. One…two…three!"

Danny let go and watched them begin tugging away at the tire. Tanabi tried using his strength, but Nuka was using the momentum Tanabi was exerting against Tanabi. Still, after vicious tugs, Tanabi managed to tug the tire out of Nuka's grip. Tanabi came out celebrating. "Yes, I did it!"

Nuka, angered at losing the match, swiped his paw in the dirt. "You got lucky on that one!"

Danny held up his hands. "Tanabi, you won that match." Tanabi celebrated some more. Danny continued. "But this is solved by best out of three matches. You haven't won the whole thing yet."

Tanabi stopped celebrating. "What!"

Nuka's face brightened. "You mean I get another chance?"

Danny nodded and held the tire out. Each cub grabbed the tire again. This time, Nuka's eyes were filled with renewed hope. Tanabi was somewhat disappointed, thinking he won and still had two more matches to go. "One…two…three!"

* * *

Sarabi and the others were on their way back from the hunt. They had caught a wildebeest and an antelope. It would be a great feast among the pride. Sarabi, despite being nine years old, she was still in the prime of her hunting years. Her abilities were still among the pride's best, and her mentoring of the younger lionesses was proving invaluable. The pride was catching animals almost everyday. If they were unable to catch anything, Danny would come with them and make at least one quick kill for some food.

As four of the lionesses carried the kills back, Sarabi walked ahead with Zainabu. "This should be a good meal for us."

Zainabu nodded. "You're right. The kings will be pleased to see this."

Sarabi smiled. Pride coursed through her body knowing that both of her sons were the kings. They didn't follow the normal royal protocol, but it seemed to be working. "You are right. But Danny will have to cook his food, since he can't eat it raw."

The younger lioness nodded. "True…have you noticed how Danny has been acting lately?"

Sarabi nodded, her smile faded into a weak one. Danny had been having dreams the last couple of months, but wouldn't fully describe them. He only revealed most of it to Simba, but didn't reveal all of it to anyone, not even Zainabu. It had kept him on edge and had resulted in him getting sleepless nights. "I have, and it's because of the dreams he's been having. At first, he thought it would go away. But now it's been a recurring nightmare for him."

Zainabu kept her voice low, so as not to draw attention to themselves. "He tells me that the dreams he sees are of pain, suffering…death."

The last word sent a chill through Sarabi. "Do you think his dreams are a sign of something to come?"

Sarabi shrugged. "Wish I knew, Zainabu." She growled. "I also wish I knew where Zira and her group go these days."

Zainabu's mood darkened as well. "I don't know, but she's up to no good. She's been going off with her followers, and causing division among the pride. We need to do something about this before things escalate."

"That's up to the kings to decide," Sarabi replied.

"And that's about the only negative about having two kings. Danny knows what trouble Zira is capable of and would support us, but Simba is naïve in believing Zira wouldn't go too far."

"I know, I know." Sarabi said wearily. She sighed. "Hopefully, they come to terms before things go awry." They came close to Pride Rock with the food. As they got closer, Sarabi saw Danny. "Look at Danny."

Zainabu looked to where Sarabi was looking. She saw Danny playing with the cubs. Most of the cubs were playing with the tetherball he had set up years ago. A couple cubs were tugging at some circle in their mouths. Danny, was overrun with some of the cubs and was wrestling around with them. Zainabu sighed with affection. "Aww…that's so cute."

Sarabi smiled. "My thoughts exactly. It's good to see that he still likes to play with the cubs. They definitely look up to him. Not just as one of the kings, but as a big brother figure too." She looked over to see Zainabu staring at Danny and smiled. "You love him, don't you?"

Zainabu nodded. "Well, yeah. He saved my life on more than one occasion and has shown himself to be a great leader and friend. What's not to love about him? It's just…" She hung her head low in disappointment. "…we're not the same species."

Sarabi comforted her friend. "There's nothing wrong with loving each other unconditionally, but I'll be honest, that's about as far as it goes." They stopped and locked eyes. "Zainabu, he's been having some very tough times, and needs you just as much as you need him. I think he's always happy when you're around."

Zainabu's expression brightened. "Thanks, Sarabi. It's nice to be reminded of that."

* * *

That night, the pride all slept in the cave. Simba slept with Nala and Tanabi in the royal chambers, while Danny slept on the old plateau in the larger cave with the other lions. Zainabu slept next to him with her head resting on his chest. Zira's little clan slept in an isolated area by the edge of the cave. Everyone was sleeping soundly.

That is, everyone but Simba.

Simba was running across a field to the sound of a familiar voice. It was his father's voice, calling for help. He ran across the field, lungs burning and stomach churning. He soon realized he was approaching the place he hadn't been to in a long time: the gorge. Simba was afraid to even go there because of the painful memories it brought with it. Now, with his father's cries, he cast all of that aside. He stopped and looked down.

Mufasa was clinging to the edge of the wall. Below him was a never-ending herd of wildebeests stampeding through the gorge. Mufasa was slowly sliding towards the edge and certain death. "Simba…Simba, help me!"

Simba's eyes were wide and alarmed. "Father!" He jumped down on ledges jutting out until he reached the ledge just above Mufasa's position. He reached down to grab hold of his father's paw.

Evil laughter filled Simba's ears. He turned around to see a shadowed figure, walking slowly down towards him. He knew it was a lion, and the voice and green eyes gave him away. _Scar! _Scar came closer to Simba; he was only ten feet away.

Simba brought his body over the ledge, using his paw to hold him steady. He stretched his other paw out toward his father. "Come on, dad. Just…a little…farther…" Their paws were only inches apart…

"Gotcha!" Simba felt his paw and body pulled back. Scar had grabbed hold of him, smiling evilly. "Trust me."

Simba looked back to see Mufasa lose grip and fall to his death. "Simbaaaa….."

Simba screamed. "NNOOO!"

* * *

Simba woke up in a panic. His breathing was heavy and heat had built up into his body. He looked around. Nala and Tanabi were sound asleep. In the distance, he could see the other lions in the same state. He walked out of the cave up the promontory arch. Stopping at the top, Simba broke down. He tried to cry, but the only thing that could escape were the tears in his eyes. He pressed his paws on his head, trying to block out the painful memories. But the saying Danny told him months ago came back to him.

_In the silence we will always hear the screams…_

That was why Danny couldn't sleep sometimes at night. And now it was why he wouldn't sleep well at night. Simba tightly closed his eyes as realization dawned on him. "Something bad is gonna happen."


	3. Duties of a King

Chapter 3-Duties of a King

Danny woke up. For the first time in a while, he had a full night of sleep. No sudden wake ups, no frightening nightmares. It gave him a huge sense of relief. He lifted his head. Zainabu was still sleeping soundly, her head on his chest. Danny smiled and gently lifted her head up and back down on the ground. Usually her senses would kick in and she would wake up, but this time she remained sleeping. That was good Danny did not want to wake her. Aside from Sarabi and Simba, Zainabu was probably the closest friend he had in the Pride Lands. He was grateful for her company and enjoyment. Danny slowly got up, and changed into his exercise gear, consisting of a sleeveless shirt, black shorts, and running shoes.

He walked outside and began his workout while the sun was rising. Danny started with pushups, doing about two hundred, a number he couldn't achieve when he first got here. Then he ran up and down the slope to his ship. He would tag the ship and run back down to the cave, repeating the cycle ten times. Then he began doing sit-ups and crunches, finishing up with supine bicycles, an exercise where he would put his hands began his head and crisscross his legs and arms. An elbow would touch the opposite knee and repeat. Danny felt the burn in his abdominal muscles, but he continued. He got up and ran up and down the slope again, and finished with diamond pushups and stretching.

Sweat poured from his brow, but already he could feel his body cooling down as his energy and strength returning to him. Since he first came here, Danny had performed this exercise routine daily, and it became sporadic during Scar's reign. Now, his strength and stamina were at an all-time high. He could bench press 250lbs easily, and could run like the wind.

He grabbed an extra set of clothes and headed down to the pool of water he used for bathing, bringing only a razor and towel. With his shampoo and bars of soap dwindling, he only used them occasionally, generally if he got dirty. For exercising, however, he just jumped in and swam for a few minutes. Danny hopped on his speeder bike and headed off.

It only took two minutes before he reached it. Danny had identified it with the big "X" he carved with his knife into the tree next to the pool. It was about three times the size of the typical hot tub, but about five feet deep. Danny took off his shirt and leaned over the pool, looking at his reflection. _All that food and exercising did a lot of good. _No longer the stocky and chunky eighteen-year-old when he first crashed in the Pride Lands, Danny's features had changed dramatically over the years. His facial features were now sharp and chiseled, no longer showing any cheek or neck fat. He always kept his hair short since claiming the throne with Simba, his typical faded hair. His arms and leg muscles were larger and much more defined, with his abdominal muscles forming a well-defined six-pack. He looked more like an Olympian athlete.

Danny smiled. "I guess I'm not that bad-looking after all." His smile disappeared. _For all the good looks do. There's no female humans to flirt with. _He tossed that disappointment aside and shucked the rest of his clothes. Without second thought, Danny jumped in. The water was cool, but his body adjusted to it. Swimming around, he felt fully refreshed. Every day, he felt better and better physically, if not mentally. It helped relieve some stress that was constantly mounting on him. He needed to be able to handle the duties of a king.

The biggest issue aside from Zira's machinations were the animals of the kingdom, or the people. Most found it funny to see a human ruling them, thinking the lions were getting desperate. The most vocal of them were the zebras, vultures, cheetahs, and giraffes. The vultures had been the gossipers and the rumor-spreaders. The other three clans had been outspoken in their opinions, but Danny didn't reprimand them. Their opinions were their own, but if they took action or spread dissention among the people, Danny would do something about that. He also didn't let it bother him because the herds were still coming in. Zazu had been coming and going throughout the months in an effort to rally the people back to their land. According to Sarabi, only a third of the animals had returned, with Zazu saying that most of the rest were on their way back. _I'm not going to let a few opinionated people and gossiping vultures hold me down. _He just wondered if his dreams would.

He got out of the water and began to dry off with his raggedy towel. Once dried, he put on his fresh set of clothes, a black t-shirt, tan cargo pants, and a set of tan army boots. He placed his dirty clothes and towel in the container on the speeder bike and pulled out a canteen of water. Danny only managed a couple of sips when some noise in the distance caught his attention. "What the heck?" It didn't take long before more noise followed, a noise he recognized. Danny snarled. "Hyenas."

Danny grabbed a pair of binoculars and his M1014 shotgun, or Binelli M4 "Big Gauge". He would probably need the latter. He heard the noise over a small elevation and ran up to see where the noise was coming from. He stopped and brought his binoculars up to his eyes. Out in the open field, amidst some acacia trees, were a group of cheetahs. Coming towards them were a pack of four hyenas. Danny growled. "This isn't good." He set his binoculars down and ran toward the group, forgetting it would make better sense to hop on the speeder.

* * *

Haraka let out a growl of triumph. He had caught an antelope for food. As a young member of his coalition of brother cheetahs, he needed to prove himself. He had just the opportunity when his coalition came across the herd of antelope. Hakimu, his older brother and leader of the coalition, ordered the young cheetah to catch on in an effort to prove himself. And he did, catching his first prey.

What made Haraka stand out among his brothers was the fact that he was a king cheetah. Unlike other cheetahs, his spots were larger than his brothers. But two features made him stand out even more. He had a small Mohawk stripe of black fur on the back of his neck, as if it were a growing mane. The other feature were the three, large, black stripes that started on his neck and trailed down to his tail. It was nothing more than some genetic mutation.

He, like the rest of his brothers, were not supporters of Danny, one of the new kings. They had Simba's support, but they were not too keen on having a man rule them. Haraka even went so far as to publicly ridicule Danny, calling him "the outsider who is king" and "the furless leader". Hakimu told the young cheetah that it wasn't a good idea to make fun of the king in his presence, even though Hakimu also said he agreed with Haraka.

Hakimu ran up to him with the rest of the coalition behind him. "Good job, Haraka. You are indeed living up to your name…fast."

The only female in the group, Sena, came in next to the king cheetah. "That was close to the fastest time for catching prey."

Haraka smiled. "Thanks, guys. Does this mean I've proven myself?"

Hakimu nodded. "I think it's time we recognized your efforts, my brother. You are now a full-fledged coalition member. Mom would be proud."

Haraka nodded with pride. After his mother had left the litter to fend for themselves, the eight males and one female formed a coalition together. Sena, as most females, was planning on leaving on her own in a few months, but the brothers would remain together. Now, they were returning to their mother's homeland. However, they didn't know it would be led by two kings, one of which they didn't acknowledge as king.

Now they had settled in a piece of land and began hunting. They had caught some food and now were about to eat. At least, they were before the sound and smell of approaching hyenas caught their attention. One of the cheetahs looked toward the horizon. "Six incoming hyenas. Looks like they want our food."

Hakimu nodded. "Fall back, everyone fall back."

Haraka was furious. "You can't be serious? We caught this prey fair and square. Why can't they catch their own food?"

Hakimu's ears lowered. "It's their nature. They don't like to work for their food, they just take it from others."

"Then let's fight back," the young king cheetah shot back.

"Haraka, we don't have the strength to take on hyenas."

A pack of six hyenas came strolling up, drool dripping from their mouths. The cheetahs, not willing to abandon their brothers, stood their ground. Both sides bared teeth as tension began mounting. The lead hyena walked up to them. "Gee, thanks for getting the food for us, guys. We can take it from here."

Hakimu stepped up. "We caught this food, it belongs to us."

The hyena growled. "Well, we're taking it now. If you want to keep this up, we can add you to the list as well."

Before anymore talk was said and any action taken, both clans turned to the sound of a loud blast that nearly deafened their eardrums. The hyenas back up a bit from the loud noise while the cheetahs backed up next to their kill. Haraka was stunned to see the last person he'd expect to come.

"Hold up!" Danny, the co-king of the Pride Lands, ran up to them. He held his shotgun towards the hyenas. He turned to the cheetahs. "What seems to be the problem?"

Hakimu spoke, also surprised that the king they despised would come to their rescue. "We had caught this antelope for food. Now these hyenas want to take it."

Danny turned to the hyenas. "Is this true?"

The hyena leader growled. "We take what we want, and what's a mangy runt like you gonna do about it?"

Danny glared and waved them off. "They rightfully caught this food. Go catch your own."

"Or what?"

Danny aimed his shotgun at him. "You wanna find out?"

The hyena smiled, not intimidated by the weapon. "Then get ready to fight, because that's the only way you're gonna stop us."

Danny pumped the shotgun. "You're making a big mistake. I'm gonna say this one last time, hyena. Don't do this."

The hyena ignored him, and charged him. But before he could jump, Danny pulled the trigger. The shotgun's blast tore through the hyena, and the force blew him back. The leader was dead before he even hit the ground, his eyes still wide with shock. The other hyenas looked at their fallen leader in shock, and looked up at Danny with fear of his capabilities. The king pointed at them. "That was your last warning. If any of you takes another step forward, or doesn't leave in the next ten seconds, all of you will join your leader here. And the next time, I won't be so merciful." His tone was ice cold.

The hyenas shakily left the area and ran away towards the borders. Haraka was amazed. The king had not only saved their lives, but kept them from being robbed of their food. He clearly realized how wrong he had been to mock the king, and now had newfound respect and loyalty for him. At the same time, the cheetah felt horrible. They had insulted the king in the past, and he came to their rescue.

Danny turned to face them. "They won't bother you anymore. Go ahead and eat. I'll keep watch and make sure you get your fill."

Hakimu bowed low. "Why did you do that for us, sir? We have insulted you and shown our dislike for you publicly. We didn't deserve your helping us."

Danny managed a faint smile. "Whether you support me or not, you are my people. And as king, I am responsible for protecting them and making sure they get their fair share of food, water, and land."

Hakimu remained low in his bow, nearly touching his belly to the ground. "Forgive us, my king. The blame goes to me as leader of my coalition. If you need to dole out punishment, bring it on my head."

"I accept your apology, but there will be no punishment. I know it's odd to have a man as ruler, but I will do my best to fulfill my roles as king."

The cheetah nodded. "Thank you, your highness. We are forever in your debt and pledge our full and undivided loyalty to you." The rest of the cheetahs bowed low with Hakimu.

Danny grinned. He had taken one big step as a king in earning the respect of a group that openly sided against him. The cheetahs were now fully supported with him. "The only thing I ask of you is your faithful support." He pointed to Hakimu. "You definitely are a natural leader. Only a leader will shoulder the responsibilities of his clan."

"You are most kind. I am Hakimu, leader of my coalition." He began introducing his members.

Just as he got to the king cheetah, Danny recognized him. He was the one who made fun of him out loud. Danny held his hand up to Hakimu to hold on introducing the shaking king cheetah. Haraka was sure he was blushing out of embarrassment. Danny's expression was neutral as he pointed a finger at him. "You were the one who openly made fun of me. Am I right?"

"Yes, I am Haraka, your Highness. Please forgive me." He bowed low, scrunching his eyes closed for fear of punishment for his folly.

But Danny knelt down and brushed Haraka's head with his hand. "It's alright. I could understand you feeling a certain way about that. But what's past is past." He stood up and brought his shotgun around. "But for now, go ahead and eat. I'll keep watch."

Haraka shook his head. "No, my king. I must repay you in some way."

Danny thought this over. It was clear the king cheetah insisted on paying back Danny for mocking him. But what could he do? Danny's smile turned into a smirk. He had an idea. It was tradition of the king to appoint a majordomo to assist him. It would be very hard, not to mention tiresome for Zazu to relay messages and reports to two kings. So, if there were going to be two kings…Danny placed his hand on the young cheetah's shoulder. "Maybe there is something you could do for me. It's more of a permanent position, mind you."

Haraka straightened himself. "Anything you ask for, sire."

"How would you like to be my majordomo?"

Haraka felt as if he had just jumped out of his fur. "W-What?" The rest of the coalition shared the same shocked expression he had.

Danny smiled. "There are two kings, and our current majordomo Zazu would be worn out from all of the work between Simba and I. If we had one covering one side of the lands while the other is taking the other half, things would be much easier. What do you say?"

Haraka stammered. "I-I don't k-know what to s-say."

Hakimu nudged him. "This is quite an honor, little brother."

Danny stood. "The one drawback is that you wouldn't be around your coalition as much." He saw Haraka hesitate. "If you don't want to take this job, I understand."

Haraka smiled. "Even though my time with my brothers will be limited, I do want to accept this appointment. But I have no training in this job."

Danny insisted. "Zazu will train you. For the first few days you will travel with him and he will show you how. Once he feels you are ready, I will take you under my wing as majordomo."

Sena came up to him. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I'd take if I were you."

Haraka agreed. This was a rare opportunity. And what better way to repay his debt than to serve him. He looked over to Danny. "Your Highness, I will accept this role. It is an honor to serve."

Danny grinned. "This is great. I hope things do work out. I will come look for you when Zazu returns. Until then, enjoy the next few days with your coalition here. Starting with eating that antelope."

The cheetahs began feasting on the antelope carcass. Haraka began to turn to go eat, when Danny called him over one last time. He walked up to the king. "Yes, sire?"

Danny looked over to make sure the others weren't listening. "Please do me a favor. Don't call me by the fancy royal titles unless you are among the other people or giving me a report. Just call me Danny."

"May I ask why?"

"I never really liked titles. It makes me feel uncomfortable." He leaned in closer to the cheetah. "Listen, Haraka. I don't want this to be just a job. I want this to also be a chance to build a good friendship between us. I may have been here for the last four years, but I'm still a stranger, and would like to get to know others a little better."

Haraka smiled. Maybe Danny wasn't so bad of a king after all. Someone who would lead, but considered himself no different than commoners, someone who could relate to others. "I understand. I hope it does work out si…I mean, Danny."

Danny nodded. "Good man, now go and eat your food before your family finishes it off." As Haraka went to go eat with the others, Danny kept watch. He knew the hardships cheetahs faced. They would be able to catch prey, but usually lost it afterwards to scavengers like the hyenas, baboons, and leopards. He would make sure that things would change for them here. But Danny couldn't help but feel the pride swelling inside of him. He had won over some doubters, and now had their respect. Hopefully, their story would win over more people. He looked up to the sky. "Dad, I hope I'm making you proud right now."

* * *

Sarabi woke up and left the cave. She noticed Danny was gone, probably on his exercise routine. Simba was also gone, which would mean he was doing his morning rounds. She couldn't be any prouder of them. Both sons were king, both showed wonderful qualities as leaders and characters. She looked up. "Mufasa, my love, if only you could be here. Your sons have honored us both."

She walked down to the base of Pride Rock and walked out to the waterhole for a drink. Sarabi didn't have far to go, as she ran to get some exercise. She stopped at the edge and lapped up the water. It was refreshing for her dry throat. When she was done, she saw something in the distance. The speeder bike Danny possessed was fairly easy to make out. She decided to see what Danny was up to. She headed over that way in a trot, but she kept quiet. If he was hunting, the last thing she wanted to do was scare off his target.

She reached the bike just in time to see Danny walking over the small elevation, on his way back to his bike. Sarabi noticed he wore a proud grin. The Queen Mother arched an eyebrow. "What's got you so happy about, Danny?"

Danny smile was infectious. "You know those cheetahs that have been pretty vocal against my position as king?"

She nodded. "Yes, I remember what some of them have said. What about them?"

"I just won them over."

Sarabi's eyebrows rose and her mouth widened in a smile. "Really? How did that happen?" He explained the incident with the hyenas trying to steal the cheetah coalition's food, and Danny's actions to protect them and allow them to eat their food without worry. "Wow, I'm so proud of you. That is the responsibility as a king. You must be able to protect your people, and just like this case, it is a great way to earn the respect of the people when you yourself come to their aid."

"Oh, that's not all. There's one more thing."

Sarabi smile widened slightly. "What's that?"

"I have appointed one of them, the king cheetah Haraka, as my majordomo."

Sarabi frowned. She wasn't expecting this. "You what? Is there something wrong with Zazu?"

Danny put his hands up. "No, no. It's just that with two kings, it would be hard for him to coordinate and communicate things between Simba and I. I just figure that if there will be two kings, there can be two majordomos."

"Well, you are the king. If you feel that is in the best interests of the pride, then no one should disagree with you. I just don't know if it will work out."

"It will work," Danny said. "Probably even better than you may think."

"So how are you going to present it to the pride?"

"First, I'll let Simba and Zazu know first. Zazu will need to train Haraka. After they are aware of it, I'll inform the pride." He pointed to Pride Rock. "But let's head back."

Danny hopped on his bike and began cruising back while Sarabi walked. The sun was now fully risen as the heat began to build. The two watched herds gathering around, some young animals playing around with each other. The people who had lived in the lands years before were returning and would soon the Pride Lands would once again be returned to its normal state. Sarabi had been looking forward to this, but the only thing she wanted was to have Mufasa back, or to be with him.

Danny noticed her expression. "Are you okay, mom?"

She smiled at hearing him call her that. No matter how hurting it felt to miss Mufasa, Danny and Simba always kept her going. "I'm fine. It's just that…I miss him."

Danny knew who she was talking about. "Mufasa, huh?" She nodded in response. "Yeah, I miss him too. But at least he's at peace now. I would love nothing more than to have him back, but it wasn't meant to be."

Sarabi smirked. "That sounds like something Mufasa would say."

Danny remembered the "dream" he had when he ran from the kingdom to live. The ghost of Mufasa had said that to him. "It _was_ something he said."

Sarabi opened her mouth to ask him a question, but said nothing. Instead, she brought up another subject. "Do you know how Jabari and Malka are doing?"

Danny had been wondering that same thing too. "I'm not sure. I haven't seen them in a month, and I think it would be good to visit them. A king also has to visit his allies to keep good relations."

Sarabi looked up at him. "Mufasa would be so proud of you. For having such a bleak outlook on royalty, you're well on your way to becoming a great king. You defend not just the pride but the people from harm, you earn the respect of those that initially side against you, and you go to visit the kingdoms that you won over by saving them. Those are things that are beyond the normal duties of a king."

"Part of that's because we have two kings. The duties are split up between Simba and I."

"But you take it upon yourself to do all of these things whether you shoulder the whole duty as king or not."

Danny knew she was right. He just felt that it was only because they had two kings. Some would say this isn't right, that splitting the duties make it so easy that anyone can rule. But taking on these extra duties made it just as hard as one ruler taking the responsibility of king. Simba and Danny knew what they were getting into when they decided to share the throne. It would be better for the kingdom given the circumstances, and Danny had told Simba that if it came down to one of them stepping down, he would do it without issues.

They reached the bottom of Pride Rock. Danny shut off his bike and walked up with Sarabi. The rest of the pride was just waking up and stretching out. Simba was not present, as he was still on his morning rounds, but he would be back soon. As they noticed one of their kings present, the pride bowed low to him. Danny returned the bow with a nod of respect. "Good morning. Did everyone get a good night of sleep?"

"Yes, Danny." Was the most common response heard.

Danny nodded. "Good. I have a few announcements to make." Everyone straightened up at hearing this. Danny didn't call in for announcements unless necessary. They formed a circle around him, even Zira and her group joined in. Danny began. "Alright first, I plan to head out again. This time, I'm going to check up on Malka and Jabari. You know, see how they're doing and if they need anything."

"Leaving again?" That was Zira. It didn't surprise Danny that she voiced against it. "If you were a good king, you would take care of your own people, not worry about someone else's. Especially leaving the other king to handle all the duties by himself."

Danny shook his head. It wasn't that she cared about him or Simba, for that matter. She just was against everything the kings would suggest or plan. _Just_ _like a politician,_ he thought. She really hated them because she believed they killed her Scar, even though it was the hyenas. "Simba can handle things." He decided to play dumb. "Besides, when did you ever care about Simba or me?"

Everyone looked at her. Her nervous expression told the story. She was in a bind now. "Uh…I-I just want to make sure this kingdom is being run normally."

Danny narrowed his eyes. "So Scar's reign was normal?" He had her backed in a corner now.

"Scar was a powerful king; it takes two of you to even come close to him," she shot back.

Danny would keep this up, but it would be petty to do so. "I don't have time to get into a debate about the past. Bottom line, I'm going to visit Jabari and Malka to keep good relations with them and make sure everything is going well. And to silence all the Negative Nancy's here, remember this: they helped us reclaim our lands from the hyenas. We owe them at least this much."

The others nodded in agreement. Nala cocked her head, a frown on her face. "You mentioned you had some more announcements."

"What announcements?" Simba had come up behind them, just back from morning rounds. Nobody bowed, because there was already a king present, so it would be considered disrespect, or unequal respect among the kings. So if one appeared first and the other appeared later, then the one who came first would get the bows unless the first king bowed to the second. "What's going on, Danny?"

Danny smiled. "Just a few announcements. Before I make my next announcement, I would like to talk to you in private. Everyone, remain here for the time being."

Danny and Simba walked toward the promontory and talked for a while. The pride could see Simba's head come up as if something Danny said had surprised him. Sarabi was sure it was about the appointment. It was only a few minutes before they came back. Nala stepped forward as the pride reformed in their circle. "As I said before, you had some more announcements?"

"Yes, I did. I have talked with Simba and he concurs." He wasn't sure how they would react to this next one, but was sure it would be fine. "I have decided to appoint a second majordomo."

A stirring murmur traveled around the pride. Some sounded like it wouldn't be a problem, some weren't sure if it was a good idea. Danny knew this was to be expected. He was glad, however, to see that Zira was keeping her thoughts to herself. Nala spoke again. "I take you have a reason for this. More to the point, is Zazu not good enough as majordomo to you?"

Everyone turned to face Danny. "No, that's not it. On the contrary, I think he does a fine job as majordomo. But with two kings ruling a kingdom, I think it would be harder for Zazu to coordinate and communicate between the two of us. It would be more work than he could handle. So, it would be best if we have two majordomos assisting us. They can share duties like Simba and I, and get together. By doing that they can deliver the reports in half the time, instead of Zazu gathering the reports, and finding both of us."

The pride understood, and nodded in agreement. Simba came up beside Danny. "I support Danny in this. Zazu will probably not like this initially, but he'll see eventually how this will work out in the end."

Zainabu was the next to ask a question. "Who do you have in mind?"

Danny smiled. "I've picked a member of a cheetah coalition. His name is Haraka."

This drew some murmurs, as they knew where the cheetahs stood as him being king. Zainabu shook her head. "But don't they hate you? I thought they were against you."

Danny nodded. "This was true until this morning. An incident occurred and I won them over by helping them. Now, they are in full support of me. So, I chose one to be my majordomo. When Zazu returns from his current trip, we will explain the situation and retrieve Haraka. Zazu will train him until he feels the cheetah is ready. Then he'll get to work."

It seemed no one would have a problem with this. Danny knew there would be some friction with Zazu, but the hornbill couldn't make a final say in the appointment, only voice his opinions. Tojo, the leader of the sentinels, spoke up. "Is that all? Or are we free to leave?"

Danny clapped his hands together. "That reminds me, I need to speak with the sentinels, Simba, and Zee after this. Simba, do you have anything?"

Simba shook his head. "No, I'm good. Just enjoy your day and find a good meal to eat. I will manage the duties while you are away. How long will you be gone for?"

"Just two or three days, tops." Danny looked at the others. "Okay, you are free for the day. Those who I named, meet me over here." Danny pointed to the base of the promontory arch.

As the pride dispersed, Danny met with Simba, Zainabu, Tojo, Mheetu, and Chumvi. They all formed a close huddle with Danny in the center. Simba yawned, trying to shake of some tiredness. Danny finally noticed Simba's features. His eyes had dark circles around them, and his normally bright expression was now dull. Simba looked at Danny. "What did you want us over here for?"

Danny took his mind off of Simba's looks and focused. "Yes, I want to get reports from the sentinel lions." Danny was hoping for something, and he would be upset if he didn't get the right answers.

Tojo spoke first. "Well, I had some trouble with a leopardess a couple days ago, but she took off. A couple skirmishes here and there, but nothing major."

Chumvi gave his report. "I did encounter a rogue lion. He was planning a takeover and we fought. As you can tell from my condition, he didn't win the fight."

Danny nodded. "What about you, Mheetu?"

"I've had no incidents to report. Just herds coming in, and me directing them."

Danny frowned. "No one saw any hyenas during their patrols?" They shook their heads. "Well, that's the wrong answer." The heat in his voice was evident to them. "Because I just had a pack of hyenas try to come in and scavenge off of the cheetahs' food. If I hadn't been there, I would have a couple bodies of cheetahs or some very hungry cheetahs."

Tojo defended his group. "Well, we can't cover all of the land at once."

"But you can smell them. That's a small window for them to get through, and I found them well past the edges of the borders. They were not far from Pride Rock. They had to have slept somewhere in order to arrive early this morning."

Chumvi nodded. "Then we'll check any abandoned caves. Maybe we'll find some more of the mongrels hiding in there."

Danny's eyes hardened, as did his voice. "Then do it. I'm not going to give an enemy an opening to our land." He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Guys, we need to make sure that we are protecting our land. I will join you in patrols if things get desperate, but it shouldn't come down to that. I will be paying extra attention to the cameras that I set up in the lands for anything unusual. Other than that, you three can go to your duties."

The three left, talking about how they could fix the problems. Only Zainabu and Simba remained. "What do you need me for?" Zainabu asked.

Danny smiled. "I'm going to need a traveling companion, Zee. I hate traveling alone, so you want to come with me?"

At hearing this, her expression brightened. "Really?"

Danny suddenly played it off like he was kidding, clearly sarcastic. "No, I just wanted to get your hopes up. Then I would leave you here all by your lonesome and-" Her head bumped into his stomach, knocking him to the ground. He landed on his butt with a grunt. He looked up with a smile. "You know I could carry out a punishment for you as king, Zee."

She smirked. "You and what army?"

Danny looked at Simba. "Are you hearing this? I think we've got a rebel on our hands."

Simba nodded. "You're right. What do you think we should do with her?"

Danny gave his trademark smirk. "I think we should isolate her from the pride. I'll have her come with me and she'll get me everything I need or want." He looked back at Zainabu. "Zee, you're coming with me. You do what I say, when I say it."

Zainabu acted hurt and made a mock bow. "Forgive me, oh disciplined King. I accept your punishment."

Danny and Simba laughed. Danny pointed away. "Okay, Zee. Just wait for me by the cave." As she left, Danny's joyful expression dimmed to a neutral one. "Simba, I needed you here for something."

"What's that?"

Danny placed a hand on the big lion's shoulder. He looked worried eyes at his half-brother. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, why?" Simba frowned, confused.

"Don't 'yeah' me, bro. I can tell you didn't have a good night of sleep. Was something bothering you?"

"I just had a bad night of sleep," Simba said, and began to walk away.

"You had a nightmare, didn't you?" Danny said. He had hit home, and Simba knew it.

Simba turned to face him. "What makes you think it was a dream?"

"Remember who you're talking to, Simba. Who's the one whose been having nightmares the last couple months?"

Simba relented. He was talking to the nightmare expert, and Danny could recognize someone having the same problems as himself. "It was about Dad. We were at the gorge, with the wildebeests stampeding. He was calling me to help him. But before my paw could reach him, Scar grabbed me, preventing me from reaching Dad. All I saw was him falling to his death and heard his fading voice calling my name. That's when I woke up."

Danny shook his head. "Do you think it's allegorical? Like a deeper meaning?"

"I had a nightmare, alright? It was just one night. Everyone has nightmares."

Danny got up. "You're right." Those words sent a chill through Simba. It wasn't really what he said, but how he said it. Danny had a good feeling that his brother was about to have the same problem he did. "But I hope it was only for last night." He walked away to head up to his ship and gather the weapons, gear, and supplies he would need. He didn't want anyone suffering like him, especially not his brother Simba.

Simba was left there, wondering if Danny might actually be on to something. He didn't know, but he hoped Danny was wrong.

* * *

Off in the distance, in the cave that was the pride's home during Scar's reign, was Zira and the other lionesses. Rehema had showed her where it was, and was using it to gather together in secret. They were not too keen on Simba and Danny's leadership, and thanks to Zira's lies and manipulation, she had swayed them to her cause. Most of them were younger lionesses, and not as set in their ways. They had kept their distance from the rest of the pride, and now they were drawing the attention of the two kings. Action would need to be taken, and soon.

Zira was last to the cave, making sure no one was following them. Danny, if he found their disappearing too suspicious, would go looking for them. And the human was well known for his determination and relentlessness. She past Nuka, who was sleeping, and two lionesses keeping guard. She entered the cave where the rest of the lionesses met. Instead of forming a circle, they stood in a delta triangle formation. The lionesses parted for Zira to make her way in the center of the delta. She scratched her paw on the dirt, with the others following suit. "Let's begin."

"King Danny is leaving for a few days. That gives us a huge advantage," that was Rehema, one of the few senior lionesses in the group. "If we want to take action, this would be the time."

"I agree, but he said two or three days. He could be longer." Another lioness said.

"Or he could be gone only a day." Yet another lioness said.

Zira held up a path. "Ladies, please. We all know that we were robbed of our king, Scar. We need to plan our glorious return to power, and it starts with removing our kings from the throne." Everyone was silent as Zira walked around. "But the first thing is to plan out steps. We need to find an heir, kill Simba and Danny, and take command of the throne."

"We could try to turn the people against the kings' supporters. Let them go against them and force them to leave. We could gain their support in overthrowing them." A lioness said.

Some agreed, but Zira was not among them. "While this is a good suggestion, if the people reveal this to Simba or Danny, then we will have to act faster than we want."

A lioness spoke up. "I think we should attack the future of Simba's line first."

Zira evil smile turned smugger. "Go on."

"We should try to set something up where Tanabi will need his father's help. We should also try to get Danny occupied with it. While that happens, we get rid of the other lionesses. With them out of the way, we can take back the throne."

Zira smiled. "I like that idea. But we need to think of a way to get Tanabi away from his family." Then it hit her. "I can use Nuka to be friends with Tanabi and gain his trust."

"Indeed, that would be a wise and subtle choice," Rehema said with approval. "But we need to figure out a location for everything to happen."

Zira thought this over. The summit of Pride Rock wouldn't work because it was too close to the pride. Someone would see the trouble long before it would become reality. The hyena's old home, the geyser crevice, would've worked in the past. But Danny was patrolling there since the hyenas ran off, and if things happened when he came back, he would be on it in no time. The gorge was definitely out of the question, because Danny and the sentinels patrolled that everyday because of what happened to Mufasa years ago. Zira growled. _Where would be a good place?_ Then, it hit her. She growled with pleasure. _Yes, that place would be perfect._

She cleared her throat. "Alright, I have a location and a plan."

A lioness stepped forward. "Just before you tell us your plan, I have one question. A leader, could Nuka grow up to be the next king?"

Zira shook her head. She never favored Nuka because he was so frail, and practically shunned her son out of disappointment. "No, he will not be king. He is not worthy of the title because he does not have the appearance of king, nor the strength."

"But he is the blood of Scar, the rightful heir."

Zira smiled. "Scar had given me a command after Danny had left. He wasn't pleased with Nuka as his heir, so I was to find an heir for him, even if he wasn't Scar's blood. I went to the pride where the king Jabari was. I found some of the cubs that Danny had sent away. The two of them, Tojo and Kula, were together. Kula showed early signs of pregnancy. I went back to Scar to inform him of the situation. We both knew Kula's children would be much healthier than Nuka, so he declared that they be taken in to our family."

"So?" Another lioness asked, not caring for the history lesson.

"Even in death, there is no command but Scar's own. That command still stands, and instead of having to travel over the lands to carry this out, Kula is right here." Her eyes flashed with evil. "And Scar has officially taken in Kovu and Vitani, with Kovu as his heir." The lionesses agreed. Kovu would make a perfect heir to the throne, it was just a matter of time to bide and train the cub. Zira smiled as the lionesses huddle together. "Okay, here's the plan."

Nuka was rolling around in the grass when Zira came out. She wore an ugly grin, with the others feeling the same. He was bored, and didn't have any cubs around him. When he saw his mother coming out, he bounded over to her. "Mother, did the meeting go well?"

Zira flashed a rare smile for him. "Yes, we did." The fact that she didn't call him by name or even "son" hurt him, and was evidenced by the look on his face. "Don't worry. Things are going to take a tremendous turn in our favor."

"Good, I hope things work out for the best."

Zira sat down in front of him. "Yes…how close are you with Tanabi?"

Nuka's head came up. "Tanabi? Well we're friends, but not close."

"How do you feel about knowing that you'll never be the king?"

Nuka looked like he had been stabbed. "I hate it. I thought I was going to be king, but no way that's going to happen now, Mother."

Zira smiled. She had him. "You can have that opportunity again."

Nuka's expression brightened. "How? How do I get it?"

Zira leaned in close. "You have to continue your friendship with Tanabi. Gain his trust, and then bring him into our trap."

"Trap?" Nuka asked.

"Yes, a trap. We will lure Simba's son into our trap and kill him."

Nuka stepped back. "What? I can't kill him."

"You have to."

"He's my friend."

Zira locked eyes with him, hers blazing with fury. "What do you want? Your friendship with the son of the lion who killed your father, or the throne?"

Nuka thought this over. What did he want? On one hand, he wanted to have fun with the only friend he had. But his father did kill Nuka's father. On the other hand, he wanted to be a king. Someone who could rule the pride and take command of the people. But that would mean killing Tanabi. He knew that no matter which decision he'd make, there was no turning back from it.

Slowly he brought his head up. "Okay, what do I need to do?"


	4. Mounting Tension

**Okay, this is a little interesting. Even though this is Chapter 4, I have recently re-cut this chapter after posting Ch. 23. This is thanks to a review on a scene I did that was pointed out. I received help from a friend, but didn't tell me it was part of a game. It is gone and replaced with a different scene. If you are re-reading this, you'll notice. If not, then enjoy the story!**

* * *

Danny and Zainabu left the Pride Lands within the hour. Danny was carrying his Binelli M4 shotgun and pistol. He carried it only for safety and hunting purposes. He knew this was nothing more than diplomatic relations, but he wasn't going to take any chances. He also brought some water and a few of the MRE's he acquired from Dasyu's old base. He had taken his speeder bike and Zainabu walked beside him.

They had stopped to rest in the shade of a huge acacia tree when the heat rose to a sweltering rate. Zainabu failed to catch herself some food, so Danny helped her out by using his pistol on a grazing gazelle. While she ate the gazelle, Danny ate an MRE and drank some water down. The water was refreshing, but it did little to help with the sweating. Normally, he would be going full speed on the bike and use the wind to cool himself down, but with Zainabu not being able to keep up because of the sun and speed of the bike, he had to cruise along with her.

When the two reached the base of the mountain, they stopped. Danny waited in silence for about a full minute when he heard roaring. Danny knew it was a male lion roaring to indicate his territory, and to warn other males out. He could feel the roars echo off his chest cavity. Danny looked at the lioness. "Zee, could you let them know I come as a friend. I am Danny, looking for King Malka."

Zee nodded. "Your wish is my command dot com." She began roaring.

Danny stifled a laugh. He knew she had been catching on to his humor as did the rest of the pride. In fact, a lot of his mannerisms had imprinted on the pride in some way. Most of them would give Danny a high-five, but tended to slap a little harder than Danny would prefer. And they were starting to rub off on him too. He learned a lot about their behavior, and sometimes actually tried to roar instead of talk when confronted with danger.

Zainabu finished roaring. "I told them. Now we have to wait for an answer."

It didn't take long before a long, steady roar followed. Multiple roars joined in with the first. Danny looked down at her. "Translation, please. Is it good?"

Zainabu smiled. "Yes, it is. They are saying welcome to our kingdom, brother."

Danny smiled. "Well, then let's go. I've got a little brother to see." He increased his speed and Zainabu kept up with his pace. They went up the mountain, until they found a cave. It was pitch black, impossible to see inside with the naked eye. Danny turned on the floodlights he attached to the speeder bike from the _**Preliator**_. The cave was completely illuminated as they made their way through. Some bats flew out as the lights touched them. Danny ducked initially, but pressed on when they were gone. It only took a short time to come out to the ridge leading into the valley. Like before, it was a beautiful sight, thick with trees and creeks that spread out across the land.

Danny hopped off his bike and looked behind him up at the ridge. It may have been a year, but he remembered how Malka ambushed him that time. No sound, nothing moved that caught his eye. He shrugged and turned around to face the valley. Looking through his monocular, he spotted a waterhole. Near it, he saw the mountain pride. He saw lionesses lying in the shade, trying to cool down. The cubs, surprisingly, were up and about. They were playing as restless cubs always were. But it was confusing to Danny since it was a very hot day. He saw a one male lion laying down in the grass, but he wasn't Malka.

Danny frowned. "I see the pride, but…where's Malka?" He instantly realized the situation and rolled to his left. He got up to see an orange-furred lion with a black mane land right where he used to be. Danny got up, breathing in heavily from the surprise. "Couldn't you just say hello, like a normal person?"

Malka turned and sat right where he landed. He smirked. "Well, if I were a normal person, then I would've used the front stairway." They laughed as the too embraced in a hug. The two brothers had a lot of time to make up, and this was one way. "How've you been, Danny?"

Danny smiled sheepishly. "Well, being king is a tough task, little brother."

Malka laughed. "Who are you calling little? Besides, you are addressing a king."

"Well, join the club," Danny retorted.

"But this is _my _land. You're the stranger in strange lands."

"Alright, you got me there." Danny raised his hands in mock-surrender.

Zainabu giggled at hearing the two of them argue in humorous fashion. "You two are a comedy act waiting to be discovered."

Danny, not missing a beat, pointed at her while keeping eye contact with Malka. "Trust me, coming from her, that's a compliment."

Malka let out a lighter laugh than before. "I never would've guessed. How've you been, Zainabu?"

The lioness gave him a polite nod. "Not bad, kid. It's been a while."

Malka smirked. "So why would you travel here with such a dangerous man?"

Danny was the one who answered. "Actually, she's my hostage under punishment for being disrespectful to royalty. I held her all the way at gunpoint." They laughed as Danny pointed down to the pride. "Let's go down and talk with the pride. I want to see how your queen is doing."

Malka nodded, and added, "She's pregnant, Danny."

Danny, halfway between drinking some water, choked at hearing this, spewing out half of his canteen's contents. Upon catching his breath again, he looked at his half-brother. "She's what!"

Some of the pride rose from their places. They were in ear shot, so they became alarmed at Danny's voice. Malka put a paw to his mouth. "Ssshhh. Some of my people are sleeping right now. They won't be too happy if you wake them up."

"Sorry," Danny apologized. "So Tama's pregnant?"

"Yes, and I'm so excited to be a father." Malka was beaming. "It should only be another month or so."

Danny smiled. "Awesome. Is she awake?"

"I think so. She's over by the waterhole. Let's head that way."

As they made their way through the pride, the lionesses bowed low. Malka returned the nod, but Danny did not. He knew they were bowing to Malka, so he didn't return the gesture for fear of being disrespectful. Zainabu followed suit. Danny smiled at how the pride was prospering. They didn't have to rebuild their kingdom like Danny and Simba had. Danny nudged Malka. "Hey, any word from Jabari?"

Malka nodded, but didn't smile. "Yes, but he's been having some issues with the kingdom. They've been attacked a few times by walking creatures similar to you. He didn't say it was humans that attacked."

Danny frowned. "Attacks, huh? And he said they weren't humans?"

"No, but he wasn't sure what they were. He's got the pride and his majordomo on patrol every day."

Only a few candidates came to his mind, but Danny was sure it was someone he didn't know. Either way, this was bad. "Did he mention casualties? Is Alijiah okay?"

Malka nodded. "There were casualties. Alijiah is okay, as are her cubs. But a few lionesses were lost, as were a few other animals."

Danny nodded. "Okay, I'm gonna leave after nightfall. I'll check up on Jabari and then head back home. It sounds like we might have a problem on our hands."

"Do you think it might be Dasyu?"

Danny shook his head. "I don't see how it could be. I saw his body, and the mountain exploded soon afterwards. One of his people might've survived and taken the reigns, but they would've shown themselves well before this." He saw Tama. "But we'll talk about it later." Danny rushed to greet the lioness he remembered as a cub. "Hey, Tama. Long time no see."

Tama, who was sitting down, got up and trotted to him. "It's good to see you, Danny."

Danny embraced her in a hug. He let go and gave his usual smirk. "Of course, I don't think I'll be giving you a piggyback ride like the previous times."

Tama giggled. "Yeah, I don't think that will be happening anytime soon. But after I give birth to my cubs, I will be up for that. And my cubs as well…" A hint of mischief was now evident in her eyes. "…all at the same time."

Danny groaned. "I'm not paid enough for this."

Malka sat down next to his mate and nuzzled her. "If you get a raise, then so do I."

Danny leaned in close, so the lionesses couldn't hear. "Of course you do. Women are all high-maintenance."

They both burst out laughing. Tama and Zainabu looked at each other, confused. Zainabu spoke to the kings. "What's so funny?"

Danny and Malka stopped laughing, but they couldn't hold in the smiles and snickers. Danny managed to say, "Nothing."

Zainabu knew it was the way they were, and wouldn't give a straight answer unless blackmailed. She shook her head. "Boys."

Danny's grin was contagious, as Zainabu found it hard not to smile. "You know what they say…girls grow up to be women. Boys grow up to be bigger boys." They laughed as they sat down for some social time.

* * *

Simba walked to the waterhole for a drink. Since his dream, he had been somewhat distant. Nala had tried to get an answer from him, but he said it was nothing. Truthfully, he didn't know how to explain it, and most would just right it off as a nightmare. If anything else aside from taking his sleep, he was getting more and more thirsty for some reason. He came to the edge of the waterhole and began to drink.

He could see Nala watching Tanabi and Nuka play. The two cubs seemed close, but Simba still had to be cautious. Nuka was, after all, Zira's son. But Nala didn't see a problem between the two. Simba remembered her telling him that Nuka was not his father. He could only hope she was right.

The snap of a twig caused his ears to perk up and he looked behind where he stood. Sarabi came out. Simba breathed a sigh of relief. "Geez, mother. You scared me for a second." They bumped heads, a normal source of friendly greeting between lions.

His mother smiled. "I can learn a lot from Danny. How are you?"

Simba's eyes glazed over. "Good question. I'm not sure."

Sarabi frowned. "Why not?" Simba was silent. He wasn't sure if he wanted to tell anyone just yet, other than Danny. But this was his mother. Sarabi came closer. "Come on, son. Are you pressured by the duties of being a king?"

He shook his head. "No, it's not that." Simba sighed and decided to tell her what was bothering him. "I had a dream last night. It…it was about Dad." Sarabi's eyebrows rose, obviously intent on listening. "I was at the gorge where Dad had died." The memories were painful to bring back but he fought through it. "He was calling to me for help. I was just within a few inches when something grabbed me from behind. It was Scar."

Sarabi looked with stunned, sad eyes. "Then what happened?"

Simba scrunched his eyes closed. "He lost grip and fell. I screamed and then woke up."

"And that's why you've been distant from everyone?"

The king's eyes widened. "What? How could you tell?"

She laughed lightly. "I'm your mother. I know everything." Her gentle eyes had always brightened someone's mood, and Simba was no exception. Not even Danny and his nightmare problems were immune to her caring compassion. "So why did you come here?"

Simba smirked. "I thought you knew everything."

Sarabi frowned at first, not catching the joke. Then she laughed unbelievably. "I swear, I wish there could be some punishment for Danny teaching you all of his humor."

Simba chuckled. "Sometimes, you end up on the butt end of a joke. I've even managed to get Danny on that end a few times."

Sarabi shook her head, but her smile suggested she was amused yet bewildered. "If he was a lion, nobody would know you weren't brothers." She began to leave. She stopped as she walked by him. "Don't worry about the dreams. That was something that was past. Your father is in a better place, watching down on you."

Simba watched as she left to head to Nala and the cubs. He couldn't help but feel relieved and comforted at his mother's words. Sarabi always had the right thing to say and was a shining example among the pride. He even wondered how she managed to stay strong throughout Scar's reign and Mufasa's death. But he knew that he couldn't afford to slip up and take things for granted. Danny's feelings toward Zira were justifiable, and he would make sure that she wouldn't try anything. That included her son, no matter how close Tanabi was to Nuka.

* * *

The talks went well with Malka. If you could call it talk. The two kings jumped into the water and played, much to everyone's surprise and confusion. They were both kings and to see Malka, a lion, playing in the water. But they did discuss the situations of their kingdoms and everything seemed well with Malka's pride.

As evening began to set on the day, Danny and Zainabu said their goodbyes to Malka and Tama, and they were on their way to Jabari. Danny was not going to be as cheerful with Jabari. With the attacks by humanoid beings, Jabari would probably not be in the best of moods. Even Danny with his sense of humor and all, knew when to be funny and when not to. He only hoped nothing serious had happened over the last few days.

Danny made a campfire near a tree and set up his sleeping bag. He ate the last of the MRE he opened earlier in the day, and turned in for the night. Zainabu slept next to him. They had another big day coming. The question was: would the day be good or bad?

* * *

Danny opened his eyes. Something was wrong, very wrong. He didn't know what he felt, but he was in the forests. It was dark, with only a moon and what looked like a light pole providing the only illumination. _Where in Africa am I? _Zainabu was still sleeping soundly. He tried to shake her awake. "Hey, Zee. Wake up." No response. He shook some more. "Come on, wake up." She was out cold.

"Danny?"

He stopped shaking Zainabu. He was frozen in place. Danny's breathing was erratic and his heart beat was racing; his eyes were wide open. "No way, is that…?" He turned around. There were two metal fences, higher than sixty feet and running parallel with each other. There was a six-foot No Man's Land between the two fences. But that wasn't the focus of his attention. Coming towards him from the other side of the other fence was a man, older than Danny by at least thirty years. Salt-and-pepper hair, army high-and-tight style, was all that was on top of his head. Danny was frozen, unable to move. It was his father.

Dennis moved as close as the fence would let him. He placed his hands up against the fence, fingers dangling through the holes. "Is that you?"

Danny finally was able to move. "Daddy?" Part of him was surprised. He hadn't called his father that since he was only a boy.

Dennis remained calm, almost emotionless. "Don't talk, don't say anything." He peered closer. "Just let me look at you." Danny moved up against the fence, pressing his face up against it, hoping to get closer and give his father a better view of him. He tried his best to hold back the tears but they were already welling up in his eyes. "Yeah, I knew I was right. I knew it."

Danny just stood still. There was no way he could climb over the walls and there was no way he could cut through. He had no tools and no weapons. All he could do was look. Look at the father that was there to help him all those tough times, that was there to have fun with him when he was a kid.

Dennis nodded. "You're alive." He sighed. "I was tough on you at times. I did things that…that made you hate me, sometimes. But you understand now, don't you?"

Danny nodded, but frowned. Tears began streaking down his cheeks. "What happened, Dad? Wha…Why are you here? Did anything happen to you?"

Dennis shook his head. Their eyes were locked as he shook his head. "It doesn't matter. One way or another, one reason or another, we're all done for. It's all gone." He paused and managed a small smile. "Remember…remember when you used to go in the park and play? And I used to put you on the swings? When you and the girls were all so…so darn little." He was trying to fight the unevenness of his voice.

Tears were flowing unchecked on Danny's face. Still, he kept his voice even. "I remember…I remember all of it." Those memories of his were a great reflection of how close his family was, but at the same time, it was an emptiness of how they were never going to happen again.

His father regained his voice. "Well, I ain't gonna be there to pick you up when you fall. You gotta look after yourself now."

Danny was now losing control of his emotions. "I'm never gonna see you again, Dad."

His father took on a slightly authoritative tone. "Yes, you will. I don't wanna hear that, Danny."

Danny fought to keep his tears in check. "Wh-what happened to Mom and the girls? Where are they?"

Dennis was silent. He fought back the tears, but had to break eye contact by looking down. Danny could see his father's face told the story, and couldn't contain it anymore. He started crying. Dennis' authority tone took over. "You can't afford to be crying anymore. You're a leader now."

Danny nodded and stopped crying, though it was hard to do so. "Y-Yes, sir."

Dennis looked behind him and back to Danny. "You need to get going now. Get out before he finds you."

Danny frowned. "Who?"

His father growled. "Him."

Danny wasn't sure, but he had a very good idea who it was. He let go of the fence. "Dad…I love you."

The man nodded. "I know you do, son. I love you too." He managed one, last smile. "You've made me proud. Now run. Run!"

Danny forced himself away from the fence. His father was shouting at him, but Danny could no longer hear him. Turning tail, he ran into the forest. His lungs were burning and his whole body felt like it was on fire. He wasn't sure why until he turned around. A huge wave of flame was heading his way, engulfing the trees. He ran as fast as he could, but it did little. The flames were coming too fast and he was feeling the heat. His whole body felt like it was on fire.

Danny didn't notice the log and tripped. By the time he looked up, the flames were on him. He brought his hands up to his face as if to ward off the flames and screamed. "No! NOOO!"

* * *

Danny woke up, shaking horribly. His whole body was sweating from the nightmare. This time, it was a new dream but no less terrifying. This was getting to be too much for him. These dreams were haunting him and there seemed to be no end in sight. The man wasn't sure what was the reason for them, but he wanted to know and have the dreams stop.

He was the king, and he couldn't be preoccupied with these dreams. How could he rule if he couldn't keep his mind on the job? What's worse, Simba might be on the verge of a chain of dreams. If both kings were dealing with these problems, they might not be able to rule properly. Danny knew that if they were dreams from the years he endured under Scar, he would be fine. His father taught him how to deal with those. But this was something else.

Tears slowly filled his eyes at his father's words. They shook him to the core, and he began to cry silently. "Oh, God. Make it stop, Lord. Make it stop. What do I have to do to make these nightmares stop?"

What Danny wasn't aware of, was that the volume of his voice happened to wake up Zainabu. She yawned, and that caught his attention. "Danny? What's wrong? Why are-?" She noticed the shaking and crying. "Oh, Danny. Did you have the nightmare again?"

Danny nodded. "It was a different one though. My dad was in it. We were talking about our pasts, how much fun we had together…"

Zainabu shook off her sleep. He needed her comfort right now. "And then what?"

"Then he told me to press on now that I'm a leader. He told me to run before someone came looking for me. I ran and looked back to see a wall of flame coming at me. I tripped and the flames were about to burn me when I woke up." He punched the ground. "God, I just want these dreams to end. I'm sick of them, Zee. They're so real it's like I'm never asleep."

Zainabu licked his cheek and brought her head underneath his chin. "I'm so sorry you're going through these tough times." Danny wrapped his arms around her neck. Her voice became a whisper. "I just want you to know that if you ever need someone to talk to or need some help, always know that I'll be here for you."

Danny appreciated her comfort. It always seemed to relieve him of his pain. His voice returned to his calm, even tone. "Thanks, Zee…for listening. It means a lot to me, especially after everything I've been going through the last couple of years." Even as king, he needed some comfort from time to time, and this was definitely one of those times. Danny smiled as he could hear her purring with each exhaling breath. He started to scratch her chin.

She leaned forward and purred even louder. "One of these days, I'm going to make you pay for all of this pleasurable torture. It's not fair when you do this to me. I can't hold back an answer."

Danny smirked. "Good, because it may come in handy one of these days." He stopped and leaned back down on his bag. He noticed Zainabu resting her head on his chest, trying to get back to sleep. He dropped his head back on his pillow. "Good night."

He wasn't sure, but he thought he heard her say, "I love you."

* * *

The next day, they woke up. Danny packed up and placed his stuff back in his speeder bike. He would have to be on his guard since Malka had said that Jabari had been attacked. The last thing he wanted was to be caught sleeping in the field, so to speak. Just to be sure, he checked his weapons to see if they were loaded, and his monocular was free of dirt. If he came across anything by the shore, he would be ready.

He had decided to ask Zainabu to return to the Pride Lands. He didn't like it any more than her, but his gut feeling told him to send her back. Danny didn't want anything to happen to her, and he wanted her to watch the cubs. With Zira still around, he wasn't going to take chances she would attempt a crazy act against the children. They parted and Danny went on to Jabari's Shore Lands.

It was only an hour when he reached Jabari's kingdom. The place was beautiful, capped off by the huge beach spanning for a couple miles. The forests and jungles meshed together, making the perfect ecosystem for animals. And in Danny's case, for humans. He could see a hotel being placed here and becoming a huge resort. But that was problems nowadays. People just move in and move everything else out. Thankfully, at least in this case, there were no humans to do that. Danny sighed. "Still leaves me with no human contact in the last four years." He headed down into the lands.

For the most part, it was silent. Danny frowned. "That's odd. Usually, this place is teeming with life. I guess happy hour is over." He cruised his speeder bike through the woods. A couple animals peered his way, and most gave him venomous stares. Danny was confused. _What's with everybody? Why do they look so ticked off? _His answer came soon enough. Some char marks were peppered all over the ground and trees. Danny pulled a piece of blackened bark off one of the trees. "Looks like some sort of firefight happened here."

He saw the beach ahead, and he could tell it was trouble. The entire pride was down on their sides, their legs bundled together by some sort of tangler coils, even the cubs. Jabari was front and center of the pride. But Danny's main attention was always drawn to the hostile danger, and the hostile danger resolved into two human beings from what Danny could tell. But it didn't matter. They were a danger to Jabari and his pride, and the man would see fit to taking care of the problem.

Danny shut off the bike and got off. Grabbed his shotgun and carried some extra shells. The beach was wide open, so there was no way he could creep up on them the easy way. They would hear him before he got close and when that happened, he'd be in the open with no cover. He had to think of another way. They were near an area shaded by trees to their right, so he could get behind them. It would be the perfect place to attack them. His only drawback was crawling through the creek. He would have to get wet and muddy for that.

It was his only option. "Time to get down and dirty." He crawled through the tall grass, using it to his advantage. It was a great source of concealment and so far, they didn't see him. He was counting on his fortunes to hold on for a little while longer, just enough to get to the creek. Danny dropped into the creek and continued crawling. He smeared mud all over his face to help with the camouflage as well as cooling his face down. The water also helped with that. Danny kept his shotgun slung on his back so it wouldn't obstruct his crawling.

Danny realized sooner or later his luck would run out. It did. He heard footsteps coming and rolled on his back. Danny slowly pulled out his pistol and slowly flipped off the safety switch. He was especially careful with that procedure since he didn't want any noise to draw their attention. He wasn't sure if they had spotted or heard him or not. At least not yet. Danny gritted his teeth as he waited.

The footsteps stopped. Danny heard a voice from the distance. "You find anything?"

Another voice, a lighter one in tone and much closer to Danny, spoke back. "No, but I was sure I heard something over here." The tall grass helped limit the visibility, but Danny couldn't get an exact idea of where the guard was at. The only way to do that was to peek his head up, but that would give him away easily.

"You were just hearing things. Now get back here. As soon as we get this radio up, we'll contact the boss and bring this lot back. He won't care if we don't report back, but he will care about this group of animals here."

Danny heard the footsteps leaving and he breathed a sigh of relief. _That was too close._ He now understood the reason why the animals were giving him such dirty looks. These creeps attacked and captured the pride. Now, they were scared and presumed Danny to be one of them. Danny holstered his weapon and resumed his crawling. He peeked up to get a bearing of his surroundings. The two guards were no longer in his sight, as they were blocked by the trees. He got up and pulled his shotgun up, ready to blow these creeps away for what they had done to his friend and his kingdom.

He moved his way through the trees until he reached the tree line. The guards were not humans, but rather transformers of some type. They were busy fixing a radio. Danny gulped. _This is going to be a rough road. _A cakewalk was far from what Danny was thinking the outcome would be. He wouldn't come out of this waited for the guards to fiddle around with the radio for a little bit. The man needed all the time he could buy for a strategy, but might have to freestyle it.

Jabari could easily smell Danny and turned to him. The others did the same, and were filled with hope at the sight of seeing Danny again. Danny held his finger up to his mouth and then closed his fingers to his thumb, indicating to keep quiet. Only Jabari nodded.

One of the transformers threw down his tool in irritation. "This is absurd!" He kicked the radio.

The other growled. "Hey, we need this gizmo to contact home base. It just takes time and patience."

"Is that your answer to everything! Time and patience?" The robot was livid. "We spend too much time waiting and thinking. We must act."

"And there's another problem with you: you never try to solve things. You always have questions to problems."

Danny stepped out and leveled his shotgun. "Well, I got answers." They turned just in time to see him blow away the first robot. The shot was so close that it ripped the robot in half. Danny tried to bring his shotgun up at the second, but the guard knocked it away with his hand. The transformer went for his pistol but Danny chopped it out of his hands.

Even though Danny kept his opponent from getting the pistol up, but it left him defenseless in several areas. The soldier cleaned Danny's clock with a hard uppercut that left Danny dazed and sent him down to the ground. The soldier laughed and went to find his fallen pistol. "I heard you were strong, human." He found it and reached down to pick it up. "You don't seem so tough to me."

He turned around, but never got the shot off. Danny had recovered just enough to spear the robot before he fired off a shot. Danny got up. "Just wait until I get in shape."

Then he went into a methodical dissection of his enemy. Danny drove his knife into the right arm of the robot and began pummeling his midsection and then beat the walking, talking machine in the face with his pistol, causing incredible damage to the eyesight of the robot. Danny got up and walked over to pick up his shotgun. He pumped it to make sure it was loaded and walked back to the soldier. "Expect the unexpected, Cyborg."

That very statement came back at him. Just as he aimed, the robot grabbed a handful of sand and threw it in Danny's face. The sand go into his eyes, blinding him and making him stumble around. He ran right into the feet of the robot, who flipped him end over end into the ground. Danny landed with a hard thud, and the air left his lungs. He wanted to vomit.

The robot pulled the knife out of his arm and got up to face Danny. He twirled the knife so that the handle ended up in his hand. "You're right, meat. Thanks for the hot tip."

He went for the kill and tried to stab Danny in the neck. Had he done things a few seconds earlier, he would've killed Danny. However, Danny had opened his eyes in time to see it and grabbed the robot's wrist. He didn't have the strength to hold the hand back, but he did direct it to avoid his neck and the knife struck in the dirt. Danny used the opportunity to pull out his pistol on his hip with his free hand and aimed it at the robot's face. The robot stared at the barrel, unable to move or speak. Danny shook his head vehemently. "You people are really slow learners." He squeezed the trigger, and the pistol cracked a report into the air. The force of the bullet went through the robot's face and out of his skull, and Danny watched the bright, red eyes fade into blackness.

Getting up and brushing the dust off, Danny felt the soreness of the sand in his eyes come full force. The adrenaline helped stem the pain, but now it was hurting more than ever. He was sure his eyes were red and he rubbed them did his best to get the grains out. He glanced at the robot's lifeless body and kicked it. "That's what you get for fighting dirty." In all honest truth, though, he probably would've done the same thing.

Danny turned around to see the coils on the lions fade and disappear as if they were never there to begin with. Jabari got up as Danny smirked. "Whenever I need to find you, you're always in some kind of trouble."

Jabari smiled. "Danny, what a pleasant surprise."

Danny rested the shotgun on his shoulder. "What would you do without me, Jabari?"

Jabari chuckled. "I'd be a content old lion."

"Well somehow I don't see 'content' or an 'old lion'." Danny got down on one knee and gave his friend a quick hug. "Sorry we couldn't have met in the safest of terms. How's Alijiah?"

Alijiah walked up to them. Normally, a kind lioness, she did not look all that happy. Danny couldn't blame her. "I've had better days."

Danny looked around. "So where are your cubs?"

Alijiah turned around, and three cubs came running up to her, brushing themselves up against her legs. Two of the cubs had dark brown fur like Jabari's, with the third being creamy white, almost as pure as snow. Alijiah had them lined up in a row, with the two brown cubs on the outside and the white-furred cub in the middle. The one thing that was different from all of them were their eyes. The brown cub on the left had pale blue eyes, almost a perfect match of Jabari. Alijiah placed her paw on his head. "This is our first son, Amiri." She walked by the cream-furred cub. This cub had dark green eyes that could pierce through anybody. "This is our daughter Kashore."

Danny smirked. "With humor, huh?" That was the African translation for Kashore. "I'm gonna have to keep an eye on her. If she lives up to her name, then she will make a good joker."

Jabari smiled. "Maybe you can help her out with that."

"I plan to."

Alijiah finally stopped at the other brown-furred lion cub. This one had golden brown eyes similar to Danny's. Alijiah smiled as she placed a paw on that cub's head. "And this is our youngest son, Tupac." She stepped in front of the cubs. "Children, this is Danny. He is king of the Pride Lands. Before you were born, he saved most of the pride from an evil man named Dasyu."

"Hello, Danny." They all said at the same time, bringing their heads low in respect.

Danny smiled. "Hello to all of you too." He looked at Jabari. "They'll make fine children and lions." The clearing of Kashore's throat was evident to everyone. "And lioness," he corrected himself. That drew laughs from lionesses and giggles from cubs. When the laughter settled down, Danny waved Jabari towards an extended part of the beach. "As much as I'd like to continue the meet-and-greet, we've got some serious business to take care of."

They were alone as the pride tended to the injured and the rest of the kingdom. Jabari's expression was calm, but nowhere near happy at this point. "I'm glad you came."

"Glad to come, but who were those guys? Why did they attack you?"

"Don't know, but they said that the 'boss' needed new speci…I don't remember the word."

"Specimens," Danny answered. "Objects to study."

"Yes, specimens. They had already come across various kingdoms and taken many types of animals, or so they said. I'm not sure why, but it had to do with scan replication. At least I think that's what they said."

Danny frowned. Scan replication was taking something and "copying" that something, or a part it. Then the copy would be used to imprint onto something else. But what good would that do on animals? Danny reloaded his shotgun. "Keep talking."

"They said that the boss would begin Phase Zero Hero. That's all we got from them until you showed up."

Danny shook his head. _Who were these people? Why did they want Jabari and his group for test subjects? _This wasn't sounding good, but he couldn't do anything about it. He didn't know where they were coming from and if he searched by air, he would risk his ship falling into the wrong hands. "Alright, I'll take this into consideration. From now on, you will send a messenger to the Pride Lands every week. Have them give me a report. If you need me here, I'll come."

Jabari nodded. "My majordomo can carry that duty."

"Is he fast?"

Jabari looked amused. "She is a falcon. She's alright."

"Well, that answers my question. Well aside from recent events, how's the kingdom going?"

Jabari shrugged. "It's going. We have a whole new generation of cubs, including our own. The disputes we've had among the people have been settled. The balance seems perfect, or at least before these guys showed up. We have a few snags that have resulted because of this but nothing else. The senior lionesses are training the younger ones. The cubs generally just play within eyesight of the injured or older lionesses."

Danny nodded. "Good to hear everything's hunky-dory here." At Jabari's frown, Danny said, "It means everything's good. But since everything is good here, I need to get back."

Jabari cocked his head. "Are you in a hurry to leave?"

"Kind of. Normally, I would stay for the night and go on a hunt with the pride. But I've got problems back home. The only reason I came was to check on you and Malka. I only had the ability to take a short leave was because Simba was there to rule in my absence. Now, I need to return to relieve him for some time with his family."

Danny held his hand out palm up. Jabari brought his paw down and slapped it. Danny smiled. "Glad to see you still remember the high-five." He straightened. "It seems time is never on our side when it comes to just having a good time together." He looked thoughtful.

Jabari smirked. "What are you doing?"

"I'm thinking."

"That's a first."

"Shut up." Danny was glad his sense of humor was rubbing off others, but he realized it would eventually come back to him. "I was thinking of a solution to the lack of good times. I can build a nightclub and get some wine, women, and a dance floor…"

"Huh?" Jabari didn't know what he was talking about.

Danny laughed. "I'm kidding. Just consider it a man-culture joke. Anyways, I'm gonna say goodbye to Alijiah and be on my way." The two walked over to the queen of the Shore Pride. Danny said goodbye to her and Jabari. The other lionesses who knew him came and gave their thanks and goodbyes. Danny waved to them and hopped on his speeder bike, on a destination to Pride Rock. He didn't show it or say it, but Danny had a gut feeling something was going to happen, and it would not be good.

* * *

Tanabi had gotten up a few hours after the rest of the pride. It wasn't his usual self to do that. Normally, he would be the only one to get up early besides Danny. He walked out to the promontory and overlooked the entire lands. The cub looked at it with pride. _Someday, I'm gonna be king. _But that was a long way off. He was willing to wait and learn, and also have fun while he could. He knew that his fun couldn't last forever as it was now, so he needed to enjoy it.

The lionesses went on their hunt, but in two different groups. His mother led one group while Zira led a slightly smaller group the other way. He didn't understand why they were split up, but wrote it off as splitting up to get twice as many kills. Still, the way his Uncle Danny acted, things weren't too good between him and Zira. He shrugged. _Not my problem._

Now the afternoon was starting. He was about to head down to the waterhole when he caught sight of Nuka. The older cub sat there waiting, with an eager expression. "Hey, Nuka. What's going on?"

Nuka smiled. "Not much. I've found something really cool. I want to show you."

Tanabi scratched the back of his head. "What is it?"

"I want to surprise you."

"Oh, ok. Let me just tell Father so he knows where we are."

Nuka held up a paw somewhat quickly. "No, you don't need to do that. I already told him where we are going. He thinks you will definitely find it interesting."

Tanabi frowned. _This is a first. Usually Dad wants me to tell him himself. Maybe he had to get an early start today. _Tanabi got up. "Uh, sure. I appreciate that, Nuka. Let's get going."

The two of them got going and began walking. There were only two lionesses around, and they were watching the other cubs. They didn't see Nuka and Tanabi walking off. The other animals saw the cubs going by but didn't think anything of it. The cubs brushed their way through the grass. Tanabi soon realized they were heading to the north border near the river and huge waterfall. His father had taken him there once to see the sights. It was absolutely huge, but was a dangerous place if caught in the strong currents of the river. The waterfall dropped two hundred feet before the river resumed.

Tanabi and Nuka came near a thicket of thorns. Nuka jerked his head. "Through here. Once we get past this, I'll show you what I found."

Tanabi looked doubtful. "I don't know. This puts the 'thick' in thicket."

"Don't worry. I found a path that will keep us from having a bad case of thorn magnetism." Even Nuka was getting a sense of humor from Danny.

Tanabi followed his friend through the thicket, nearly poking himself on more than one occasion. Nuka, on the other hand, seemed to be working his way through just fine. Tanabi followed his path and kept a keen eye on the thorns around him. He was feeling something growing inside him, but he wondered whether it was curiosity or suspicion.

Part of him felt uneasy. Normally he would inform his father of his whereabouts and Nuka claimed to have informed his father ahead of things. He knew his mother, the queen, wouldn't have a problem with it. But Simba was the head of the family, and what he said, went. The last time he didn't tell his father where he went, he was disciplined and stuck in the cave for a few days. That was a cub's worst nightmare. Being stuck in a tight area all day, that would drive a cub nuts. He didn't want to end up like that again.

Then again, he was wondering what Nuka had to show. He usually didn't have something to show, but when it was, it was something cool. And Nuka was his closest friend, so he suspected nothing horrible. Tanabi was still trying to figure out what it would be, since it was near the river. Would it be some animal they had never seen before? Was it something in the huge view of the land from the cliff that he never noticed the first time?

The cubs came out up on a rock near the river, a couple hundred yards from the waterfall. The other side of the river was a huge forest of trees, unlike the open side they were on. Tanabi looked around. There was nothing out of the ordinary to him, and he wanted to know what Nuka had found. He turned around to look at his friend. "So what's the surprise?"

Nuka smiled, and it was not friendly in the least. "Right here." Catching Tanabi off-guard, Nuka pushed him off of the rock. Tanabi twisted around and grabbed the edge of the rock with his claws. The only thing below him was the river. He tried to use his rear paws for leverage and lifting himself up, but the rocks were too slick.

Tanabi's teeth were clenched in fear. "Nuka, what are you doing?"

"I think it would be obvious, to a pathetic cub like you," Zira came out from behind the rock with two more lionesses. Tanabi's eyes went wide with fear. "It was nice of you to drop in for a visit here. Now…time to leave." She raised her paw.

Tanabi now realized that his feelings he had were definitely suspicion, but there was also a new feeling. That feeling was betrayal. Nuka, his closest friend in life, had betrayed him to be killed. The only thing he couldn't figure out was why. He didn't know why Nuka would do this, but it didn't matter now.

Zira's paw smacked across his face, cutting him just below the right eye and knocking him out. Tanabi fell into the river and surfaced, floating towards the waterfall, and his inevitable death.

Zira watched Tanabi float down the river toward the waterfall. "Rest in pieces." She let out a roar. That was the signal for her mini pride for the next stage of the plan.

A lioness looked away. She noticed someone and her eyes widened. "Zira, we have trouble. It looks like Zainabu is on her way over here."

Zira eyes flashed. "What? I thought she was with Danny." She was beginning to regret not checking the area for members of the pride that were not aligned with her cause.

The lioness shrugged. "I guess not. What do we do?"

"You take care of her. The three of us will head back to Pride Rock. You know what to do." The three began running away, leaving the lioness behind.

* * *

In the distance, Zainabu was walking into the Pride Lands. She was still grumbling over the fact that Danny had her return. She wanted to travel to Jabari's pride, but Danny insisted that she had home. He thought it would be best if she helped keep an eye on the cubs. As much as she didn't want to, he was the king and she would not be the first to blatantly defy or disregard his orders.

A roar caused her ears to perk up. She instantly recognized the roar as Zira's and her hearing directed the roar toward the river. Something in her stomach area tightened. It was a feeling she usually got when trouble was about. She ran toward the river to find out what was going on. Zainabu saw three lions running back to Pride Rock, including Zira and Nuka. She ignored them and went to the river to find out what was going on.

She reached the rocks at the top of the hill to see the river in front of her. At first, she couldn't see anything. But then she saw an object floating in the water. "What is that?" She narrowed her eyes. The lionesses eyes went wide with recognition and concern. "Tanabi!" She shook her head. "What happened here?"

"Something you will have no part in."

Zainabu turned around to see a lioness knock her off the rock. She landed into the thorn thicket. Her body was pierced with a prickly pain as the thorns poked through her skin. Branches broke under her weight as she hit the ground. With all of the thorns, she couldn't move without extreme pain. It was excruciating, but not as bad as the roar she let out that pierced the sky.

* * *

Danny was entering the Pride Lands on his way back from Jabari's kingdom. Since leaving, his gut feeling was getting worse and worse. He didn't know what it was, but he wasn't going to waste anymore time. He had located a small valley that gave him a beeline for Pride Rock that was nothing but flat plains. He had the engines gunned at full power and had cut his time down immensely. Now, he was just entering home.

Over the time he had coming back, his mind was at work. First, he killed Dasyu years ago. Now, he got reports of attacks from Jabari that some transformer-like beings were attacking and capturing animals for study. Danny was certain Dasyu was dead. If the electrical cables he shocked Dasyu with didn't kill him, the explosion of the mountain certainly did. The only conclusion of this "boss" that was mentioned had to have been a survivor of Dasyu's faction. Now he took the reigns and was causing the same damage as his predecessor.

His thoughts were interrupted when he had heard a roar when he neared the border, but couldn't tell where it was coming from. But few minutes later, another roar sounded. This roar, however, was a roar of pain. Danny could tell it was coming from the river by the waterfall. His engines were beginning to overheat as he came near the river. If he didn't shut off the bike soon, the engines would blow, with him still sitting on it. Danny shivered. _Not a way I wanna go out. _He directed the bike to the river and closed in, less than a few seconds timing away.

He reached the river and shut down his bike. It needed a cool down. He got off and pulled out his shotgun. There was no noise, aside from the river. _That's odd. _"Anyone here?" He heard moaning near a thicket of thorns. He trotted over to see who was making the moans. His heart sank. Zainabu was lying in the thorns, bunches of them puncturing her skin. "Zainabu! What happened?"

She barely lifted her head to avoid the pain. "Tanabi…he's in the water. Get to him before he reaches the waterfall."

Danny felt an invisible hand squeeze his heart. His nephew was in the water and heading towards a death-drop. He wanted to help Zainabu, but she would live. Tanabi was in the greater danger. He had no time to waste. "I'm coming back for you, Zee."

All she did was nod. Danny ran in the direction of the river. If Tanabi was still in the river, he would be close to the waterfall. At the place Danny was at, the waterfall was about a couple hundred yards away. He would normally use the speeder bike to get to Tanabi the fast way, but the engines were still way too hot. Danny slung his shotgun behind his shoulder. He wouldn't need it to rescue Tanabi.

The path along the river was mostly flat. That was good news for Danny. He didn't want to be slowed down by rocks and other obstacles along the way. He would never forgive himself if he let Tanabi die. Danny jumped over a log and nearly lost his footing, but he regained his balance and kept running. His muscles were started to burn and his lungs screamed for fresh air, but he kept going.

Simba came around the corner blocking his path. Danny, unable to stop his momentum, ran into the lion and found himself end-over-end in the air. He landed on the other side of Simba. Simba frowned. "Danny, I was just finishing my rounds when I heard two roars over here. What's going on?" He noticed Danny's tired and aggravated posture. "What are you running for?"

Danny caught his breath. "No time…Tanabi is in…the river. We've gotta get to him before he reaches the waterfall."

Simba's eyes went wide. "What! We have to get him."

"No time to lose! Let me get on your back." Danny jumped on Simba's back and the lion ran like there was no tomorrow.

They were only one hundred yards away from the waterfall when they could spot Tanabi floating in the water. Tanabi himself was only fifty yards from the waterfall. The two kings didn't even wanna fathom the outcome. They ran alongside Tanabi's position in the water, but stopped twenty feet from a huge rock blocking their path.

Danny got off. "Go around. I'm going in the water. If I can't get to him, you go next."

"Right." Simba ran off to go around the huge rock. "Hang on, son!" He shouted to his cub.

Danny shouted at Tanabi. "Tanabi! Tanabi!" He could see Tanabi was unconscious. At the sound of Danny's shouting, he slowly started to come to. "Get out of the water!" Tanabi looked confused, trying to make sense of things. "Get out of there!"

Tanabi realized quickly where he was at and looked at Danny. "Uncle Danny, help me!" He feebly swam to Danny as best as the current would allow him to.

Danny ran with him. He jumped on a log and pushed off with his foot. He ran to the end of the path where the rock was at. He cut in like a wide receiver running a route to the sidelines and dove into the water. Fortunately, the water was deep. If it wasn't, Danny would be knocked out by the rocks on the river's floor and would be in the same predicament as his nephew. He resurfaced and swam with all of his might. "Tanabi, I'm coming. Keep your head above the water."

"Uncle-" Tanabi couldn't even finish as the water washed over him. He tried swimming backwards, slowing down the speed he was traveling. The waterfall was fifteen yards from him. He screamed. "Uncle Danny, please!"

Danny was swimming frantically. His muscles were burning from exhaustion but he would feel worse if he failed to rescue his nephew. "Tanabi…Tanabi!" Tanabi fell over the edge.

"Daannnyyyyyy…" That was all Danny could hear from his nephew as he fell to his death.

"Nnnoooo!" Danny swam to the side of the river and grabbed hold of some rocks jutting out from the side. He pulled himself up and looked over the edge. He could barely see Tanabi before he disappeared into the mist at the bottom of the waterfall. Danny was gasping for air, trying to recover from the exhaustion.

But that was the only the beginning. The total shock of losing Tanabi hurt him, as though someone stuck a knife in his heart, robbing him of even more family. Tears began to fall from his eyes. He had failed his nephew, and now Tanabi was dead. There was no way anyone could survive that fall. Simba was one thing; he didn't survive a two hundred foot drop. Danny looked down at the mist with a helpless, pathetic expression. "Tanabi…I'm so sorry."

He had to come to grips with it. Tanabi was dead. There was nothing he could do about it. He pulled himself up with all of the strength he had to get up over the edge of the cliff and back on firm ground. He just sat down on the ground, laying there. The word that he thought he had escaped from was slowly rising back up to his head.

_Failure._

The word burned through his entire body. Danny punched the ground. He didn't care about the pain, because the pain of realizing Tanabi was dead coupled with the reality of him failing to prevent it bent him double. His eyes were red-rimmed, and the color of his eyes blended into a greenish hue. Danny got up on his knee. He heard the noise of pattering paws, and his heart-wrenching feelings twisted even tighter.

Simba came running around the corner. He saw his brother on one knee. "Danny!" He noticed that Tanabi wasn't with him. Danny was ashamed to look up at Simba's face, and fearful too. He didn't want to see the lifeless expression on his co-king. Simba's voice became raspy, filled with pain. "Where is he, Danny? Where's my son?"

Those words killed Danny. His stomach roiled in pain as he lifted his head up. He couldn't even choke out the words at first, much less speak with an even tone. Finally, he spoke. "I'm so sorry…"

Simba knew what he was about to say, and broke down crying. A surreal blend of devastation, sadness, and rage was evident in his tone. Simba's only son was dead. Simba had finally gotten over the dream of his father and now this. His face was drenched in tears from his crying. Danny walked over to his brother and tried to give him some comfort, but he was just as an emotional wreck as his brother. Simba leaned his head in Danny's hands as the latter held him tightly.

Suddenly Timon and Pumbaa, who had returned the previous day from moving Timon's family to the jungle they lived in for years, came running up. Timon was frantic. "Simba, we've got problems."

Simba didn't answer, but Danny got up and looked at them. They could see from his eyes that something bad happened. "What problems?"

"The pride is under attack."

Simba got up in a flash. "Attack? By who?"

Pumbaa hesitated, but answered. "Uh…the pride."

Danny frowned. "What?"

Timon nodded. "Yeah, it-it looks like one group is fighting the other group."

Rage poured through Danny as he figured out who was causing it. "Zira. It has to be her." He looked at the two. "Alright, here's what you're gonna do. Zainabu is stuck in some thorns back down the path along the river. Help her out and protect her."

Timon saluted. "Yes, _mon Capitan._" He and Pumbaa took off.

Danny turned to Simba. "The pride needs our help. We gotta go." Simba didn't move. "Come on, bro. It hurts me too, but if we don't go, there's gonna be a lot more dead to the list."

Simba shook his head. "I can't…my son…"

Danny understood why he wouldn't move. If he were in Simba's position, he would be too hurt and shocked as well from the loss of his firstborn cub. "If you wanna stay here, fine. But I'm not leaving the pride under Zira's wrath."

Simba's eyes flashed with fury. "Zira…she's caused this." He looked at the human. "You were right about her. I'll remedy that mistake. I'm not gonna let her take anymore of my family away."

Danny sneered. "My sentiments exactly. Let's hurry…I need to get to my bike." Danny got on top of Simba's back and they left. Their pride was being attacked by Zira's group, and they weren't about to let any more pride members die at her hand. There were crimes that had to be paid for. They only hoped they would not be too late. Simba definitely hoped they wouldn't; his life would be an empty shell if anything happened to Nala and their unborn cub.

**Me and my nail-biting cliffhangers. Please review and tell me what you think of it**


	5. Zira's Revenge

Sarabi, Kamaria, and Aziza led the pride back with their kill. They had been successful again. This time, they had brought down and killed a water buffalo. Not an easy task. They tried to find an opening but the beast didn't expose one until after running for so long. One lioness was injured but managed to make it back fine. She would have a sore side, but she would be fine. The bright side was that everyone would have their fair share of meat. Everyone would have a full stomach for the day.

With Danny out, things were much more different in the pride. Zira was seemingly more suspicious to the others. The funny part was, she was respectful, almost kind. Nobody knew why. Some decided that she finally came to her senses and accepted her place among the new reign. Sarabi and some of the older lionesses knew better. If anything, they were more wary and distrustful of her. She was never as nice as she had been the last two days. That was trouble. She was up to no good and she was just sugarcoating everything.

The pride made their way up the slope to the joint ground between the promontory and the cave. They had set the buffalo down and sat down. Some stretched out their paws and legs. Sarabi cracked her neck. "This has been quite a day. We've got the biggest kill to date. Simba's going to be happy."

Aziza nodded. "He is, but I'm wondering what has got him seeming so distant."

Shani, another lioness who grew up in the middle of Scar's reign, approached. "Yeah, he seems kinda spaced out. Weird."

Sarabi shrugged. "The king is busy. Having to do morning rounds without a majordomo, let alone his brother, it can be a tough job. Maybe he has a situation on his mind." She knew the real reason, but he gave no permission to tell it to anyone. Simba did not want to worry the pride with his own dream.

Aziza gave a sloppy smile. "Must be some situation."

Suddenly, a roar was heard over the Pride Lands. But it wasn't a cry of pain or help. It sounded like a signal for something. "What's going on?"

"Well, I would say that it means Simba's situation is the least of your problems."

Everyone turned to see Rehema along with the band of lionesses, totaling about thirteen of them. They all wore malicious grins on their faces. The others didn't know what was going on, but they had a feeling it wasn't good. Sarabi watched the lionesses brace themselves, sensing the danger present. She could sense danger a mile away, but it was usually in the form of a leopard, crocodile, or hyena. She didn't expect it from a lion among the pride.

Sarabi stepped forward. "Rehema, what's going on?"

"Oh, you could say that it means the beginning…of your _end_." She swiped at Sarabi and the two sides joined in battle.

* * *

Danny and Simba stopped at the speeder bike. Their time was short, and every second that went by felt like an hour. The pride was under attack and they needed to help. If they didn't get there soon, there would probably to many casualties to have a pride remaining. Danny had a feeling this was coming, but didn't want to cause a problem by publicly announcing his suspicions about Zira. Now, he felt like a fool for not doing so.

Simba looked at Danny as he fumbled through the box container on his bike. "You can bring on the good news anytime now." The uneven tone of Simba's voice was now mixed with total rage.

Danny found his flare gun and loaded a flare into it. "Zira thinks I'm gone to visit Malka and Jabari. I will help make short work of her little revolt." He started loaded four screechers, shotgun shells that made high-pitched noises in addition to the normal shotshells. "She thinks you are on rounds and…"

Simba looked at him. "And?" He watched Danny grab his flare gun. "What are you doing?"

Danny aimed the flare gun up. "And…she thinks Tojo and the sentinels are on patrol." He fired the flare gun, letting the red light rocket up into the air. "That flare will get their attention and know it signals them to return to Pride Rock to assist. Only difference is…we're not facing hyenas this time." He powered up the bike. "Get going. I'll be right behind you."

"You don't have to tell me twice." Simba wasted no time in running. He was now in full focus on his mission: stop Zira.

Danny reached inside his container and pulled out his getaway weapon, a flashbang grenade. He gripped it tightly. "I'm done playin' your games, Zira. Now we're gonna play mine."

* * *

Sarabi swung herself around, teeth bared. She was now squaring off with Zira. She arrived shortly after the battle started. She swung her paw at Sarabi. She saw Zira's swing coming, and ducked. At the same time, she used her hind legs to propel herself at Zira. She tackled Zira to the ground, rolling as they went. Zira dug her teeth into Sarabi's neck, causing the latter to roar in pain. Sarabi swiped her paw to force Zira off. She didn't let go, so Sarabi rolled, pulling Zira with her. The pain from Zira's teeth hurt even more from that move, but it paid off. Zira landed on her back with a _thud_ and was sandwiched by Sarabi. The wind was knocked out of her, and she released her grip on Sarabi.

The other lionesses were neck and neck. Already, there were four dead lionesses. Things would continue to get worse if nothing was done.

Kula was knocked unconscious by one lioness who rammed her head into a rock. Sarabi could see Nala backing into the cave, cornered by two lionesses. Since she was pregnant, she had little to no chance of winning. Kamaria was nowhere to be seen.

Sarabi turned to face Zira. "You will pay for this, Zira."

Zira growled. "Not so much as you for taking my Scar." She looked over to see the two lionesses dragging Nala out of the cave. Nala was roaring and trying to fight her way out of their grips, but with her unborn cub, it made that difficult to do so. Zira snarled. "Silence the wench!"

Sarabi growled. "Aziza, Shani, help the queen!" As the two lionesses obeyed the Queen Mother, Zira tackled her.

Zira had her pinned. She smiled as she looked down at her archenemy. "The Queen and the Queen Mother…about to be killed by my paw within minutes. This is my lucky day." Before she could lay a paw on Sarabi, a loud popping sound caught everyone's attention. Zira's eyes bulged at what she saw. A bright red light in the air, one of Danny's flares. That meant he was in the lands. "No." She got off of Sarabi and ran up the promontory. Her plans of triumph came crumbling down as she looked out at the lands.

Danny was coming in fast on his bike. Simba was close behind, with the sentinel lions not too far back from him. Danny plus the four male lions combined, Zira's group stood no chance against them. Her plans for an ambush of the kings came crumbling down, and it was all thanks to Danny. Zira slammed her paw down. "No!"

Sarabi walked up behind her, smirking. "Still feeling lucky, Zira?"

Zira turned around and jumped her with anger. Nuka, who was nearby, kept one of Sarabi's lionesses at bay while his mother dealt with Sarabi. They exchanged blows between each other, but no matter how Zira's group tried to mask it, deep down they knew they were now fighting a losing battle.

Danny, who came up and got off his bike, reaffirmed those feelings. He jumped off with his shotgun ready to fire. He aimed for the center of the group and fired. The four screecher rounds were deafening to the animals considering their high pitch, but Danny was able to bear it. The noise caused all of the pride to stop fighting and cover their ears.

Danny used the moment to grab Nala by the neck and drag her back to the safety of the cave. She initially tried to fight back, but when she saw who it was, she smiled with relief and hope. Danny placed her behind the corner where no one would see. "Stay here until I come back." She nodded in response.

Danny came out to face two very angry lionesses. He could tell they were not on his side. He pointed with his free hand to the shotgun. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did those screechers hurt?" One of them attempted to pounce on him. That lioness received the business end of his knife, which was flung out at her and speared her throat. The other took the opportunity to jump him, but she jumped too high. Danny rolled underneath her and brought his shotgun up to bear. The blast knocked the lioness further than she wanted and her neck crunched against the wall.

Danny looked out and saw the fight was going to turn into a bloodbath if he didn't do something. He pulled his flashbang grenade out and pulled the pin. He tossed the flashbang into the middle of the pride and turned around. He covered his ears and closed his eyes. Even with those safety tips, the blast left him somewhat dazed.

However, the pride was temporarily incapacitated. He used that chance to reach the middle of the pride. Just then, a deafening roar came from his behind him. He turned to see Simba, Tojo, Chumvi, and Mheetu all ready to tear apart anyone who stood in their way.

The lionesses saw this and moved into their respective groups when they recovered. Sarabi gathered the part of the pride still loyal to Simba and Danny. Zira and her clique remained together, in between Sarabi and the males.

Danny pulled his shotgun up as he surveyed the damage. Five lionesses were dead or dying. He examined them. Two of them were ones he knew were Zira's clan. The other three were his. He examined each one, but his heart shattered at seeing the last lioness. She was still alive, but not for much longer. He sat down and cradled her head in his arms. "No, Kamaria. Not you."

Kamaria weakly turned her head. "Hush, my king. This was all a misunderstanding. It will be fixed; everything works out for the best. Take good care of them."

Sarabi came up, tears in her eyes at seeing her lifelong friend now dying. "Kamaria, I'm so sorry."

Kamaria managed a light laugh, followed by a cough of pain. "Sarabi, it's okay. I've lived a happy life, in spite of Scar's reign. I have enjoyed the times with you when we were cubs. I'll be waiting for you when it's your time." Her eyes became weak and her vision blurred. "I'll…tell…Mufasa…you said…hi…" With that, her eyes closed for the last time.

Danny let a tear fall down as he stroked her fur. "Kamaria…" His eyes snapped up in a ball of pure rage. He set her head down gently and began to walk to Zira. "You piece of trash! Why did you do all of this?"

Zira's rage matched his. "Because of you. You and Simba both, the two illegitimate boys!" Everyone was stunned to hear her say this. "You killed Scar, the rightful king of these lands."

Danny mocked her. "Heh…okay, everyone bow to King Scar. Oh, wait. He's not here anymore." At seeing Zira's rage flare up, his tone became serious. "He got was comin' to him, after what he did to Mufasa. Mufasa was the true leader, Scar took it out of greed, for power."

Zira was one joke away from jumping him. Rehema stepped out. "You let five of our pride die during those years. And Simba ran away from us when we needed him."

Danny was stunned, not to mention hurt by seeing one of the lionesses close to him during Scar's reign, side with Zira. The pain was evident on his face. Simba answered. "What good could I have done when I was a cub? He would've killed me and then be rid of our bloodline."

Danny's breathing was short and shallow. His throat tightened. "No…Rehema. Why? Why side with the one who caused us more pain?"

Rehema snarled. "Because she had a better plan to rule than you or Simba. I thought you could manage the kingdom by yourself, but no…you had to look for Simba."

Danny narrowed his eyes. "Killing Tanabi, Kamaria, and the pride is your idea of a better plan?"

The others were shocked to hear this. They refused to believe that happened. But they looked at Simba and saw the lifeless expression filled with pain. Sarabi was dropping angry tears at Zira. "You killed my grandson?"

"What better way to attack the throne than to attack the future line? Your lioness' took away my cubs years before. Now you know how I feel."

"That was because you started it!" Sarabi began to charge her, but Rehema blocked her path.

She turned to Danny. "Enough talking."

Danny aimed his shotgun at her. "Back off, Rehema, or I'll blow you away."

Rehema snarled. "Try it, Danny. It's the only way you're gonna stop me."

Danny felt all of the pride's eyes on him now. He did not want to be put on the spot by having to kill someone he was close to. It was like asking him to kill his parents and sisters. He lowered his shotgun slightly. His voice became raspy. "Please don't, Rehema. I don't wanna kill you."

Rehema crouched low. "You are weak. You always think, you never act. You don't deserve the title of king." She started to leap forward.

Danny pulled the trigger. The entire shell hit her and knocked her back. Everyone closed their eyes from the action. When they looked up, the saw Danny on the ground, placing a hand on Rehema's head. He shook his head and fought back the tears, but just as quickly they came up. His eyes scanned the group until they rested on Zira. He snapped his fingers, and Simba and the sentinels moved in to separate Zira's group from Zira. Danny got up and faced the lioness who caused her so much pain.

He took the butt of his shotgun and slammed it into her nose. Then before she could react, he spun around and kicked her in the face with his boot. She dropped to the ground. Danny pulled out his pistol and aimed it at her. It was obvious to the pride that he was furious. Simba and the others kept Zira's group away from her.

Danny was surprised to see her smirking at him. "What!" He snarled. "Does beating up people, causing division among the pride, and killing innocent cubs make you the Big Bwana? Huh?"

Zira just smiled slyly. "I'm just serving my kingdom."

Danny's mouth was agape. He couldn't believe how twisted she was. It made him sick. "I could…and I should…take you out of this world and make it a better place." He flipped the safety off and slowly pulled the trigger.

"Danny." That came from Simba, to his surprise. It almost sounded like a plea. It was what Danny would've said if Simba had decided to kill Scar initially.

Danny shook his head, and lowered the pistol. "But I ain't him. I'm not like Scar." Tears started to run down his cheek. In the midst of it all, he smirked. This caused Zira to frown. "Besides, you're so pathetic you ain't even worth it."

Zira smirked. "I knew you couldn't kill me."

Danny held up a finger. "I never said I wasn't done. Sarabi, Ebere, watch her." He ran up to his ship. Looking in his weapons lockers, he found the object he was looking for: a high-powered taser. He came back down and walked over to Zira. "I'm going to make you feel the pain I've been feeling for a while. And as sick as this sounds to the others, I'm going to enjoy hearing you scream."

She looked at him defiantly. "I won't give you that satisfaction."

Danny turned on the taser. It shocked to life. He smiled. "I hoped you would say that." With that, he jabbed her in the side with the taser. At first, she just began twitching. But then, she screamed in horrible pain. Many were stunned to see Danny do something like this, but against Zira, they didn't think much of it. After a while, he pulled the taser away and watched her twitch uncontrollably. She tried to speak, but the pain was too great. The only thing her brain was telling her to do was scream.

* * *

After she recovered, Zira joined her little group of lionesses. Sarabi and the others were circled around them. Simba had revealed what happened to Tanabi to Nala. She had broken down crying. Simba laid down next to her. The loss of their son had shaken them greatly. Danny and a couple others kept watch over Zira and her remaining clan.

Danny soon left Tojo and the sentinels to watch them while he and Simba discussed over what to do. From his ship, he watched footage of the three cameras in the vicinity, and was shocked to see Nuka involved in this whole thing. He was hoping Nuka wouldn't turn out to be like his father, but that hope was now extinguished.

After an hour's time, the two kings came out. Their faces were grim. Simba looked at the pride. "We have come to our decision." He looked at Zira. "As kings of the Pride Lands, we hereby banish you to the Outlands, by the outskirts of the Pride Lands. If you are caught trespassing, the penalty will be a pound of the trespassers' flesh. You have until tonight to be out of the lands."

Zira snorted. "Or what?"

Danny pumped his shotgun. "You wanna try me? Go ahead. I may not kill you out of revenge, but I will kill you for disobeying our law."

Zira grumbled and the now outsiders, including Nuka, began to leave. Zira turned. "You may have won this battle, but you haven't won the war. This is not over." She headed down the slope. Chumvi and Mheetu followed at a discreet distance to make sure the kings' orders were carried out.

Simba watched them leave. He had been lenient with letting his son play with Nuka as long as he would tell him where he was going. From now on, he would make sure that his future cub or cubs would be under watch at all times.

* * *

Danny went up to the summit. He placed three headstones next to the ones he had up before, where Mufasa, Yihana, Maisha, Takiyah, Geena, and Sarafina's names were etched onto the stones. He etched in Kamaria, Tanabi, and Rehema's names on the three new headstones. He would place a rock pile by each one later. Most understood why he would put Kamaria's name up with the others as well as Tanabi's, but not Rehema's. He was hurt the most because he still cared about Rehema, even though she turned, and it hurt to kill her. Part of him felt empty, mainly because of the loss of life, particularly his friends and family.

He began to head down to the cave. Suddenly, Tojo came running up the slope and met him at the edge. "Danny, I need your help."

Danny's voice was neutral. "What is it?"

"Vitani and Kovu are missing. Kula and I can't find them anywhere."

The king's eyes went wide. "What?"

"We've looked everywhere. We can't find them."

Danny ran down the slope to the cave, with Tojo right behind him. He reach the area where a group of lionesses were trying to comfort Kula. Danny pushed through the group. He bent down and stroked Kula's head. "Kula, tell me when you last saw the cubs."

Kula, through choked sobs, said, "I…r-remember them…sleeping in the cave. T-That's when Zira attacked." She looked up at Danny. "D-do you think they are…"

Danny shook his head. "No, I don't believe they're dead." Part of that answer was from gut feeling, but part of that was due to denial. He refused to believe any more cubs were dead. He had enough grief for one day. He motioned Tojo to come and comfort his mate.

The lion came down beside Kula and nuzzled her to try and calm her down. "It's alright, honey. It's going to be okay." He looked up at Danny. "Where do you think they are?"

The king walked over to the edge of the promontory, getting an angled view of the lands. "Well, they're not here. They were last in the cave. Either a predator came and killed them, which is highly unlikely since we just had that fight. Or they were…" He trailed off. Then it hit him. "Zira must have kidnapped them. Two of her lionesses must've snatched them and are waiting to go with them near the border. It all makes sense. That's why she didn't put up much of a fight when told of her banishment."

Tojo growled. "We have to stop her."

"My thoughts exactly. Tojo, Kula, with me. Everyone else, keep a sharp eye for any outsiders as well as watching over the cubs." He jumped on his speeder bike. "We've got some unfinished business to take care of." Danny led the way with Tojo and Kula close behind.

Being the fastest to reach Zira, Danny sped on ahead. He was going to bring back the cubs if it was the last thing he would do. He had been separated from his parents, he wasn't about to let two cubs go through the same. He past the animals that had been grazing as if they were never there. The only thing on his mind was Zira, and may God help him if she pressed the wrong buttons.

Danny caught sight of her and the outsiders heading away, with Mheetu and Chumvi close behind them. The droning sound of his engine caught them to turn around and face him. He slowed down and walked to them, shotgun and pistol at the ready. The two sentinel lions caught his expression and braced for an attack on the outsiders.

Zira smirked. "Danny, how nice of you to pay us-"

"Shut up." Danny quipped. "Where are they?"

"Oh, you mean the cubs. They're perfectly fine. That is, as long as you keep your distance from us."

Danny's voice went cold. "Are you threatening me?"

"No, you are the one who is threatening." She backed up to reveal the two cubs. They had no idea what was going on, but were scared. Kovu was already crying, while Vitani was holding in her tears.

Danny stepped forward. "Why you piece of sh-"

"If you take one more step forward, they both die." That stopped Danny in his tracks. She knew his soft spot. "Oh, how positively kingly of you. You were weakened before you started, Danny. Weakened by compassion."

Danny growled as Tojo and Kula came up behind him. Kula immediately saw her cubs and wanted to go to them, but Tojo halted her. Tojo stepped forward. "Give us back our cubs."

Zira smirked. "I got a better idea. I'll take them and they'll be my children."

Danny was losing it. "And how about you be my shotgun's favorite target?"

The lionesses holding the cubs placed their claws around the cubs' throats. Kula was fearful for her cubs and gasped. Zira shook her head. "Now that's not very kingly of you. Here's the deal. I keep the kids, they stay alive. You try to take the cubs, they will die. Sound fair?"

Tojo was raging. "You little scumbag!"

"Alright, then. I guess the cubs will die." Zira was about to swipe at Vitani first.

Kula, who was filled with compassion for her cubs, intervened. "Wait! Alright, if you take care of them, please let them live." At everyone's surprise, she continued. "I love my children, and I don't think I could live if they died. As much as I hate it, I'd rather have them raised by Zira instead of death." She eyeballed Zira. "If you take them, you better raise them."

Zira smiled and nodded. "You have my word."

"Not worth much in that department," Danny said under his breath.

Nuka, upon hearing this, felt betrayed. His mother had used him to lead Tanabi to the river to kill him. If they were to succeed, he would become the next king. Now, with the two new cubs, Zira would probably train Kovu to be the next king. He couldn't rewrite the past now. His closest friend was dead, he himself was now banished to the Outlands, and now he would never be king. Nuka should never have gone along with this.

Zira began to turn to leave. "Zira!" She turned to face Danny. He pointed at her. "This is not the end. Sooner or later, you're gonna get yours." She didn't respond with words, only a evil laugh. She turned to leave with the rest of the outsiders. Surprisingly, Nuka remained behind.

He placed his paws on Danny's chest. "Please, take me back to the Pride Lands. I'm so sorry for what I did. I shouldn't have done that."

Danny backed up. His voice was low and neutral. "I'm not the one you should be apologizing to. Nala and Simba are the ones you want for that. I personally, accept you're apology."

Nuka's face brightened. "Great!"

Danny held up a hand. "But, you willingly went along with this. Even though you apologized and it's been accepted, there still has to be a punishment. You are still banished to the Outlands with the others."

Nuka looked crestfallen. "W-What? But Danny…"

"You made your decision. Now, you have to live with it." He pointed after the outsiders. "I suggest you get going."

The young lion was now dejected, realizing that he was now no longer part of the Pride Lands. He turned away to head after Zira. _Tanabi is dead, I'm now banished…I should never have done this._ He had never felt so lost and alone. Suddenly, a new emotion filled him. A powerful, deadly emotion. It was anger, rage, and hatred. The same ones of his father Scar. He swore he would do anything in front of Zira to gain his mother's approval to be king, even if it meant killing again. _One day, Danny, you and Simba will pay for all of this. I swear it._

Danny walked off. It was hard having to say something like that to a cub. But Nuka was a willing accomplice, and now he was under equal punishment. He felt so hurt that a cub he had played with would be so enticed by power that he would kill Tanabi. Unfortunately, he was Scar's son, and maybe Nuka had the makings of the late lion as well. He turned back to Kula and Tojo. Kula was sobbing again, and Tojo was trying to comfort her. Danny walked over to her. "Why did you do that? Give up your cubs so willingly?"

Kula lifted her head. "Because I love them. Their safety is more important than my own life. I'd rather they be out there and grow up than die before they even have a chance at life."

Danny frowned. "You call living with Zira safe?"

Kula got up with Tojo. "When you have children of your own, then maybe you'll understand."

She and Tojo walked back to Pride Rock, with Chumvi and Mheetu right behind them. That left Danny alone, in between two prides of the same blood. And rightly so, he felt at a crossroads. "If I ever have children…" Her last words left a stinging reminder to him. He probably would live out the rest of his life with no kids, so he could never truly understand being a father. It hurt him to realize Zira was right. They had won the fight on Pride Rock, but they lost in the end. The one cub was dead, along with five lionesses, one cub was banished, and two were stolen from their mother to be raised by a twisted surrogate.

As Danny began to walk back to his speeder bike, he began to wonder about things. More to the point, he wondered if he could continue to carry out his duties as king in light of what he had just done today.

* * *

Not long after, Nala was reaching the final stages of gestation. Everyone was excited about the new litter and future heirs or heiress'. Rafiki had been traveling back and forth to make sure Nala was being cared for properly. Danny would come by on his bike and make the mandrill's traveling a little easier. Soon, she would be giving birth.

Zazu had returned and was carrying out his normal duties as majordomo. He reported that all herds were on the way back. The kings made him aware that Haraka the cheetah was appointed as Danny's personal majordomo, and that Zazu would have to train him. Zazu wasn't too enthused with the idea, but he wasn't going to disobey the kings. He said he would begin as soon as his morning report was finished.

Danny had tended to Zainabu's injuries. She had thorns all over her body, some deeper than others. With care, he pulled each one out. Some caused her to moan, others caused her to roar in pain. After a decent amount of time, he had pulled all of them out. But he had to clean the wounds, and he new that would be even worse than pulling out the thorns. He took a brush and bucket and filled it with medical alcohol. Dipping the brush into the alcohol, he brushed it along her body, causing extreme pain for Zainabu. But when it was all said and done, she hadn't taken his head off, and she went to sleep. She couldn't participate in the hunts, so Danny or another lioness would bring back some food for her.

Simba and Nala as well as Tojo and Kula were still saddened by the loss of their cubs, but hopefully they would bring more. It wouldn't replace Tanabi, Kovu, and Vitani, but it would help ease the pain. The sentinels and Danny would be on their guard at all times for the outsiders. Finally, the day came…

Simba paced back and forth outside the cave. Danny had his arms folded while leaning against the wall with his shoulder. The rest of the pride with the exception of Sarabi remained outside. Sarabi was inside helping Rafiki with Nala. The screams of pain and roars caused Simba to jump at times, and paced even faster.

Danny shook his head. "You do realize your pacing is not going to speed up the process here. You've gotta be patient."

"Hey, you're not the one expecting a cub."

"You're right, but you rushing in there won't help."

Another scream of pain came. This one was the loudest, followed by a roar that echoed through the cave. Simba and Danny waited for news. Behind them, the lionesses began talking amongst each other. They were wondering how many there would be, and how many were boys and how many were girls. Danny shook his head. It was typical of females to talk about this sort of thing.

Finally, Sarabi came out of the cave. Simba noticed the bright smile his mother wore, and his heart felt warm with relief. "Is Nala okay? How many cubs?"

She bumped her head with his. "Congratulations, my son. You are a father again. Nala is waiting for you with your new cub."

Timon and Pumbaa became and emotional with tears. Both of them saying, "I love moments like this. Not like, love." Then they both started crying.

Only Danny seemed to notice them, and he laughed. "Those two should take up stand-up comedy," he said to himself. He turned to Sarabi. "How's Nala doing?"

She smiled. "Good, now that she has given birth. She is resting and about to fall asleep. She needs her rest from all the pain and exhaustion she's been through. Rafiki is tending to her and will leave soon."

Danny nodded and turned to see a familiar lioness limping her way over. "Hey, gimpy."

Zainabu's expression was one of amusement. "Shut up."

Danny sat down next to her. "How you feeling, Zee?"

"A lot better than when you cleaned up my wounds. I appreciate it, though." She nuzzled his cheek with affection. "I'm just glad we both made it out alive."

Danny smile faltered. "I'd rather have died and let Tanabi live. He was just a little cub. He was too young to die."

Sarabi nodded sadly. "Yes, but he's now with the great kings. Mufasa will watch over him."

Danny smile returned. "You are a very strong lioness. To go on without your mate for so long. That takes strength and courage to carry for years."

Now it was her turn to nuzzle him. "Well, that's because I still have my two sons. I have to be honest with you, if you and Simba were dead I probably wouldn't have made it all these years." The three peeked inside the cave to see Nala and Simba cuddled together with their new cub. "Let's just make sure it doesn't happen again."

* * *

The next morning, Haraka and Zazu went out among the lands to find all of the herds for the presentation and blessing of Simba's new cub. Because Tanabi was born during the rebuilding, there was no ceremony. Now, things were different. Haraka covered one side of the lands while Zazu took to the other.

All of the herds received word and began moving en masse to Pride Rock. They finally had come back to the place that was once again their home, and they would be there for the king's presentation of his new cub. Some were still confused that there were two kings, even more confused that one was a man. While some protested, they still went along with it because it seemed to be working out just fine, if not even better.

Rafiki was at the top of the promontory, rallying the herds to gather closer. As the two kings approached the top with Nala and the new cub, the herds bowed low in respect and honor. The sun was shining bright, the brightest as far as most could remember. It was a new day, and a new era.

Zazu and Haraka returned. Zazu landed right next to the kings. Haraka remained in tow, slightly behind them. There could only be one majordomo present on the promontory, and Zazu was the primary majordomo, so he would be there.

Danny and Simba nodded as Rafiki gave the three royal leaders a big hug. Simba looked at Nala and mimicked her smile as she gave Rafiki their cub. They looked at Zazu, who bowed low. Rafiki then raised the cub into the sky, and the silence among the herds was abruptly ended with cheers and shouts of praise.

This was the first blessing ceremony he had attended. He had spotted Simba's presentation from a distance when he had escaped from Dasyu with Jabari. He didn't know much about it, but now he had a better perspective on things. He saw the sun shining brightly and looked out among the people. They were cheering and shouting and enjoying the ceremony. Afterwards, they bowed low again to honor the cub. Two elephants stomped on the ground and shook it with a mighty thump. A flock of white birds flew overhead and sailed around the kings before flying off.

He looked at the cub, who was swatting at some leaves flying in the wind. Danny smirked. _This one's gonna be some fun._ He then saw Rafiki brush a red dash from a gourd on the cub's head. Then Nala and Simba nuzzled their cub. Danny was so enamored with everything going on that he forgot the Timon and Pumbaa were next to him.

Timon rested his head on his hands, which were propped up from Pumbaa's head. "Ah, Pumbaa. Look at that little guy. A chip off the old block. And you gotta know who's gonna raise him?"

Pumbaa frowned. "Uh, his parents?"

Danny cracked up. "I was gonna guess the anteaters but that might not be the case."

Timon looked slightly irritated. "Okay, sure. Get technical. But who's gonna teach him the really important stuff." He jumped on Pumbaa's nose. "Like how to belch." He belched really loud, sending a light echo. The meerkat hopped down to the ground. "And dig for grubs." He pointed back at his warthog friend. "I'm tellin' ya buddy. It's gonna be like old times: you, me, and the little guy."

Rafiki chuckled. "It is a girl."

"Girl." Timon corrected himself.

Then he and Pumbaa stared at each other wide-eyed. "Girl! Oy." They both shouted at the same time before fainting. Danny laughed. It was going to be a brand new adventure.

**Hope you like it so far. Now we're up to canonical part of Lion King 2 . Please send reviews!**


	6. The Next Generation

**Okay, my rookie mistakes are coming to my attention now. I guess I'm supposed to write a disclaimer, so here it is. I do NOT own Lion King. Danny Manning is my character as well as Zainabu, Kamaria, and especially Jabari. Danny and Jabari must be asked for permission for stories.**

Another month and a half had passed since Zira and the Outsiders were banished. Little Kiara had been growing up under Nala's care and was doing so at a very healthy state. But from the very beginning, she was shaping up just like her father when he was a cub: playful and uber-curious. There were times where she would follow Danny or go off on her own altogether. Simba had more difficulty with her than he did with Tanabi, but he felt just as blessed with her as he did with his late son. But the huge difference was his approach with handling her. He always kept a careful eye on her, and Danny took a few more shifts during rounds for Simba so he could take care of her.

Simba had trained her on the formal things of being a king as well as playing around with her. Danny would teach her things like how to give a high-five, and would play tag and hide-and-seek with her. He would also give her a piggyback ride every time on the way back to Pride Rock. She enjoyed those trips each time, and Danny knew he was going to have a similar experience with her like he did with Tama.

Morning came clear one day, and Kiara was up as the sun came into full view on the horizon. She looked out at the lands with excitement and curiosity. "Wow." Kiara could not wait to travel the lands. She turned around to head back to the slope, but a huge paw caught her and prevented the cub from going any further. She felt her father grab her neck and pull her back.

Simba smiled and arched an eyebrow. "Where do you think you're going in such a hurry?"

She giggled while trying to get away. "Daddy…let go."

"I just want you to be careful." He watched her play with a butterfly, trying to pounce on it and not really paying attention to him. "Kiara, are you listening?" He stepped on her tail. That stopped her from playing and assumed a sad look. "Accidents can happen. You can easily be hurt-"

"Hurt, or stepped on or even get lost." She said, reciting the umpteenth time she had heard this.

Simba figured that she understood and didn't press the matter. "Now, I want you to stay in sight of Pride Rock-"

"At all times." She had heard this little safety brief for much too long. "I know, and if I see any strangers, don't talk to them. Come straight home. Okay, okay, can I go now?" She put on her widest smile in effort to leave. "Please?"

Simba shook his head. "Very funny."

Nala came up beside them. "Now mind your father, Kiara."

The cub smirked and rolled her eyes. "Yes, mom."

"And stay away from the Outlands." That came from behind them. Danny walked up to them. His tone, and expression, were both serious. "Not a place you should be prowling around." He generally didn't add on to Simba's normal talk before Kiara left, but he did voice his concerns when necessary.

Zazu flew in and landed next to her. "Nothing there but a bunch of backstabbing, murderous…outsiders."

Simba nodded. "Zazu and Danny are right." He looked out into the lands, with a flash of anger at what had happened. "You can't turn your back on them."

Of course, Kiara didn't know, so it didn't surprise them that she frowned. "Really? How come?"

Simba was about to explain when Danny and Nala shook their heads. She was too young to understand. Plus, the doom preaching would probably scare her out her mind, especially with recent events still fresh in their heads. He caught the hint and smiled. "Never mind. Just run along now."

She groaned. She obviously wanted to know. "Dad, I-"

He held up his paw. "You'll understand someday."

"Dad…" She rubbed herself up against his paw. Both Simba and Nala smiled at their daughter as she began to run down the slope. She looked back at them once more before leaving to head off.

"And stay on the path I've marked for you." Simba called out.

Nala smiled with amusement. "Simba, who does she remind you of?"

Simba was too focused on Kiara that he caught her question at the last second, as evidenced by his abruptness. "Huh? What?" His eyes darted back and forth, trying to find the answer. "Who?"

Danny chuckled. "You kidding? Four years and you can't remember who she reminds you of?"

Nala nuzzled her mate. "She's just like you were when you were young."

At that point, Simba knew what she was talking about. That was what worried him. Coupled with the loss of Tanabi, he was very watchful of his daughter. Nala, on the other hand, didn't seem to have a problem with Kiara's venturing out in the lands. That was surprising since they had only lost Tanabi not too long ago. But she was very strong, having recovered better than Simba.

She had another reason, though. With Kiara now born into this world, she needed to be strong for her daughter. If she broke down crying, Kiara would become very concerned, and would hinder a portion of her childhood. Nala did not want their daughter spending her young days worrying about her parents.

Simba brushed her off. "Exactly." Nala backed up to look at him, but kept a smile. "Do you remember the dangers we used to put each other in?"

Nala's eyes popped open at hearing him include her and jumped on top of him. She pinned him to the ground like their days as cubs. "You mean the dangers _you _put us in." She nuzzled him with affection, purring near his ear. Simba smiled as he looked at her as she said, "She'll be fine." She turned to leave, keeping her eyes on her mate.

Simba watched as she headed back into the cave, most likely to prepare the lionesses for the hunt. As soon as she went inside, he called to Timon and Pumbaa, his lifelong friends. "Psst. Hey Timon, Pumbaa. Come over here."

The duo, who were watching Kiara heading off into the lands, quickly came over at Simba's calling. "Good morning, _mon Capitan_."

Danny also joined the three in a huddle. Simba leaned in to his pals. "I want you two to keep a close eye on Kiara. You know she's bound to run off." _As always, _he thought.

Danny nodded and put Simba's thoughts into words. "You're tellin' me."

Timon seemed totally confident. "Don't worry, guys. We're on her like stink on a warthog."

"Hey!" Pumbaa said, offended.

Timon looked down at his companion. "It's a hard truth, Pumbaa. Live with it."

Danny cracked up at the remark. Simba remained serious. "Guys, I'm counting on you. Danger could be lurking behind every rock."

"Aha." Timon said. He and Pumbaa looked all around before going off after Kiara.

Danny watched the two of them walk off. They were two knuckleheads alright, but they were there when you needed them. He also was curious as to how Simba suddenly became so serious since spending the better part of his life with them, but he had a good idea. Something occurred in his head. "You'd think after those three years you spent with them that they'd rub off on you, somehow."

"Well, being king changes things. I think I spent too much time goofing off. Now I need to make up for lost time." Simba said. Those words were strong, wise, and fitting for a leader. And since he had much to prove, this was a start.

Danny was certainly impressed. "You know…you're starting to sound like your father. He'd be proud." At seeing Simba start to tear up, Danny quickly changed the subject. "Uh, looks like Haraka has come in with his report. He was concentrating on the east side of the territory, so I'll head off with him."

"And I'll go with Zazu to the western side. That's where he was at this morning. Three-round burst?"

Danny knew he was talking about the help signal from him to Simba. If he encountered trouble requiring assistance, Danny would fire a three-round burst from his M4 rifle. Simba would simply roar very loudly. "Three-round burst and one loud roar. I know the drill." Danny headed up to gather his equipment while Simba and Zazu began their rounds.

* * *

Danny and his majordomo Haraka went on their rounds. Danny was glad he had chosen Haraka. Despite having a rough start in keeping track of everything, he was catching up. Part of the cheetah's difficulties were centered around the fact that he was another majordomo. Most thought he was just inflating himself until Danny had come directly to each herd or group on the report round. Since then, Haraka just had to deal with the organizational problems. Though Danny was no expert on the majordomo job, he did give tips on basic organizational skills.

At midday, they stopped to eat. Haraka went off to hunt with his brothers while Danny sat under some shade to eat one of his MRE's. He enjoyed this particular one, jambalaya. The spicy meat tasted good and the cheese and crackers added to it. They had spent an hour eating and then returned to duty.

Danny walked with Haraka. They had just gotten over an ordeal with a herd. "Boy, am I glad to be done back there. Those hippos can be very petty with their problems."

Haraka gave an "I told you so" expression. "Sorry, boss. I told you they would not be easy to deal with, but you said you wanted to deal with them. I just tell you what's going on."

The man's thoughts whirred over what had happened. "But fighting with another clan of hippos for dominance of a waterhole? They couldn't just simply avoid the squabbling and split it equally between themselves? Let me tell you something, Haraka. That should not have gone to me for the ruling."

The cheetah's face went slack. "Maybe so, but that's all part of being king, isn't it?"

"I suppose you're right, but that doesn't mean I have to like it." They both laughed. Unlike Simba and Zazu, who were serious and full of formality, Danny and Haraka were as informal as can be. Added with their combined sense of humor, they had the potential of being total goofballs. Some people frowned on that, since they had never seen a king and majordomo act in a way that wasn't befitting a king and majordomo. However, they did know when to get serious, which made some of the people relax, but there would always be critics. Danny rested his head on his friend's head. "I am glad you took this job, buddy."

"So am I. I definitely misjudged you in the beginning. But you're as good a leader as my mother told us about Mufasa."

A slight sting of the late king made Danny wince. "I wouldn't go on record of saying that, but I do hope to become a leader acceptable of the people, especially being the only man here."

"You'll be fine, and you know my coalition will support you with our story about the hyenas. Those who still don't will be the ones who never like someone if it's not approved by them."

Danny shook his head and sighed. "Yeah, and those are the types I try to avoid." The M4 strapped on his shoulder would take care of those he couldn't if they presented a hostile threat. "But now, we have to head out to the border. You said there is a giraffe herd waiting near the border for direction to their new territory."

Haraka nodded. "Yes, we should go that way."

"Race ya!" Without word, Danny took off sprinting. The head start did little good, as the cheetah could easily outpace him on foot. He was running at a slow pace next to the king in two seconds.

Haraka laughed. "Please…you couldn't keep up if I gave you a sixty second head start."

They headed towards the borders of the Pride Lands. Danny stopped and rested under the shade of a familiar acacia tree: the one where his ship first landed. It had been a long time, but this was the first piece of land he had stepped on since crashing here. The tree was his quiet place aside from the waterhole and the summit, generally to escape from everyone for some peace and quiet.

Haraka looked around. The only thing that looked different was the slice of ground dug in from when the side of the _**Paratus Preliator **_had crashed there. "So this is where it all started for you?"

Danny drank some water from his bottle. "Yep, this was the birth of my new life, minus the spank on the butt from the doctor. I was found by Mufasa here and that was when I found out I could talk to animals."

The cheetah frowned. "Is that weird where you come from?"

"It's as weird as if lions could fly and walk on two legs. If I told another human about this, I'd need a psych exam and be placed in a mental institution for help."

Haraka blinked. "Well, I guess that would be weird. How did you adjust to life here?"

"I often ask myself the same question. I suppose the survival training my father gave me plus my gung-ho supply of weapons and food gave me adequate equipment to make the slow adjustments into this life. But my adjusting is just about over." He patted his M4. "My weapons have limited ammo, and they're running dry. If I were to fire ten shots a day, I would run out in a year. I'm gonna have to find another way to hunt, to protect, and to live."

He looked up at Haraka. The cheetah was listening intently. "My father always said…that I would be someone unique. Someone who would make something out of nothing, someone who would give hope, someone…who would make a difference." Danny looked down, not making a sound aside from his heavy breathing.

Haraka nodded. Danny was anything but a conventional king, as evidenced by his informal behavior. But he had been through a lot. Danny had told him what had happened to his family, and the last few years that had gone by. He especially was emotional about the lionesses he had lost to under his leadership, and still wouldn't forgive himself for losing them. Being king was never the job he asked for, but it seemed to be his calling. The cheetah cheered him up. "Well, I see all of that here so far, Danny. You gave the lionesses hope during Scar's reign, you turned a wasteland into a kingdom and now rule it next to Simba. I'd say you've made a difference." At seeing Danny's flat expression, he continued. "You know, you're not a bad person just because certain events happened."

"But there are still things I regret. One of the more recent ones was taking a taser to Zira. Yes, she rebelled and I punished her." He replayed the events in his mind. They seemed like scarring memories a soldier would get from war. "But I kept going on and on, enjoying it the whole time. I felt just like her: causing pain and taking pleasure in it."

"We all make mistakes. What we need to do is learn from them for when we are confronted with them again."

Danny got up, putting away his bottle. "I guess, but we-" Haraka ducked low, his ears perked up. Danny immediately pulled out his rifle and crouched next to his friend. "What is it?"

Haraka growled. "Crocodiles, in the creek."

Danny shrugged, confused. "So?"

"They're after a female lion cub."

Danny knew it was Kiara. He got up and ran, not about to lose anymore cubs. "Let's move." They ran to the creek bed.

* * *

"Look, if you are going to live here, you must abide by our laws." Simba said, in front of an entire pack of jackals. They were going about, spreading their territory wide among the lands, and the other herds were beginning to complain about the pack overlapping their own.

The jackal leader was in front and center between the king and the pack. "We need to find food for ourselves. If we don't have land to search for food, how will we survive?"

Zazu stepped up. "Yes, well you should have respect for others and their lands as well. They, too, have equal right to a piece of land."

Simba nodded. "Yes, we gave you the default land when you first came here. You've spread out into the other herds' fields, and must shrink back to what we gave you. You are free to find your food throughout the land, but you have to drag your kill back to your lands. If you do not comply to this, we will exile you from the lands. Further disobedience will result in harsher punishments."

The jackal considered this for a moment. "Very well. We will move back to our den and bring our food there. But we will defend ourselves and our kill if we encounter a threat, be it in our territory or another's."

Zazu spoke. "Just let others know you are taking your prey back to your land, and they should leave you alone. I doubt you'll get the same from the family of the one you killed, however."

Suddenly, a loud sound echoed through the lands. Three rapid cracks pierced the air. The jackal instinctively crouched. "What is that?"

Simba knew it was Danny's signal from help. "That's my co-ruler. He is having a problem. We shoul-" Another three-round burst followed, and another. That was more than a signal for help.

Zazu frowned. "Isn't King Danny supposed to signal only once, sire?"

"He's not just signaling for help, it's an emergency. We need to go. Get Nala and a few lionesses. This could be big trouble and Danny might need us."

"Yes, at once." Zazu took off and flew with great speed.

Simba looked at the jackal leader. "You have your orders. Take your pack back to your den. I must go, but if you need me, you know where to find me." He took off as the pack bowed in respect. Danny would not fire that much unless he was either under attack, or frantically defending someone against numerous enemies. Whichever the case, the lion king needed to hurry, and pronto.

* * *

Danny and Haraka ran through the tall grass to the edge. They knew the crocodiles would give trouble, and they were one of the few animals Danny nor Simba would approach. They were too tough to kill in general, but sometimes a lucky leopard or, in Danny's case, a few shots would make short work of them. What was the real concern was making it to Kiara before she became a light snack. What if-No. No, he couldn't think about what would happen if he came too late. He had lost enough family.

They looked over the edge to see a chocolate-furred male cub walking on what was a slimy, moss-covered log. Kiara was right behind him. "An Outlander doesn't need anybody. I can take care of myself."

Danny frowned. "Kovu?" The cub Zira had stolen from Kula and Tojo. He had definitely grown since he had last seen him and Vitani.

Kiara followed him, obviously admiring the cub. "Really? Cool."

Danny saw movement and soon realized that the slimy log was actually a crocodile, and it, along with others, were beginning to make their move. He brought his rifle up to bear.

Kovu had already noticed the reptile was beginning to turn its head and open its mouth to swallow Kiara. He started to stammer as he looked at the big mouth, causing Kiara to turn. She screamed and jumped off with Kovu to a chain of small rocks. And just in the nick of time, because the croc snapped its mouth shut just as they jumped. The cubs needed to move, and they needed to move _now_.

Danny aimed and opened fire, sending a three-round burst into the crocodile that tried to eat the cubs. The shots pierced the thick skin, killing the reptile and turning it into floating flesh. Kiara heard the shots and knew it was her human uncle coming to the rescue. He aimed again at the massive horde of crocodiles heading the cubs' way, and fired. Haraka kept watch on the cubs.

But one slipped past both of them and zeroed in on Kovu and Kiara. It took a bite at Kovu, and it's snapping jaws missed the cub by mere inches. They both jumped off as the crocodile toppled over on the rock.

They hopped along as they used the rocks to land on some larger ones. Both took the time to catch their breath. Through it all, Kovu managed to chuckle. "That was a close one.""Y-Yeah." Kiara replied with a giggle.

But soon, the rocks they were on rose, and they were on crocodiles again. Kiara jumped on a small branch while Kovu hopped from croc to croc, running away. Kiara called out to him. "Hey, w-what about me?"

Kovu turned his head but kept his eyes ahead. "I'll distract them. Run!" He knew his luck would not last forever. It didn't. The last crocodile swam forward, treating Kovu like a runner on a treadmill. Kovu fell into the water with the slap of the reptile's tail to his side.

The other crocodiles saw the helpless cub in the water, and turned their attention away from Kiara. She saw the danger. "Look out!" She ran on top of the snapping crocs to Kovu, and landed on the mouth of the one that was closest to Kovu. "Move it!"

Danny, meanwhile, provided a little covering fire to buy them some time. The two cubs ran up a larger branch leading back up to the Pride Lands. Kovu made it safely, but Kiara had more trouble. A croc had began chomping the branch at the base, causing it to shake. She managed to jump up onto the ground above, barely escaping the danger.

Danny breathed a heavy sigh of relief and rolled on his back. His niece and Kovu were alive and safe, for now. "God, that was too close for comfort."

Haraka looked at his king, noticing the nervous breakdown Danny was suffering. "Are you alright?"

"No, I'm not alright. Two cubs almost lost their lives." He growled. "I'm going to kill Timon and Pumbaa for this. How did they let her get away? They couldn't have lost her since leaving Pride Rock."

Haraka wasn't sure how to answer, and only sighed. He didn't want to be in Danny's place right now, and felt it better to not say anything at the moment. If he did, he might trigger a reactionary blow from the king.

Danny recovered and stood. "Let's go find the cubs."

* * *

The cubs were busy talking about the events. Kiara was ecstatic while Kovu felt a little out of place. He didn't know how to react to her excitement without feeling a blow to his pride. Kiara got up. "We made such a good team. And you…" Kovu looked at her intently, wondering what she was going to say.

Kiara smiled. "…you are really brave."

That didn't seem to bad to him. Having a compliment on his bravery was a big thing among the Outlanders. He returned the smile. "Yeah, you were pretty brave too. My name's Kovu."

"I'm Kiara," she said in a flirtatious manner. Kovu backed away, uncomfortable by her forwardness. She noticed and decided to change the mood. She tagged his leg. "Tag, you're it." He didn't move, confused at what she was doing. Kiara continued jumping around, waiting for him to move. She bumped his leg again. "Tag, you're it. You're it."

He still didn't move. Kiara frowned at him. "Hello? You run, I tag. Get it?" He frowned, confused. "What's the matter? Don't you know how to play?" She then realized that his version of play was different then her own. "Oh." She growled and crouched low, expecting an attack.

Kovu finally understood that, and snapped his jaws in aggressive playfulness. His snap was answered by a huge lion stepping out in front of him and roaring. Simba looked at him, but looked up when a sleek lioness jumped in front of them, placing the cubs in between them.

This situation, at first playful and innocent between cubs, was now overshadowed by the deadly rivalry of two enemies. One was a huge lion with a slightly mussed red mane. The other was an older lioness. Her form was slender and sharp, but her piercing ruby eyes and hole in her left ear gave her away. Simba growled in a low tone. "Zira."

Zira, the lioness who was banished with the rest of the Outsiders, had followed Kovu since he had run away. Nuka had failed to watch him, and she would take care of that soon. She smiled as she saw her nemesis. "Simba."

She ducked low for an attack on him, but the cocking of a weapon behind her caused her to hesitate. "_Ni lo intentes_." Zira turned to see Danny and a cheetah behind her. Danny had his rifle trained on her. "Take one step toward him and I'll put more than a hole in your ear like the last time." She remembered what happened that night, when he shot at her and pierced her ear.

Growling behind Simba also got her attention. Nala, Zainabu, and Sarabi were flanking Simba, ready for any attack. Zira just focused on one. "Nala."

The queen narrowed her eyes. "Zira."

Two more figures appeared next to Nala. Timon and Pumbaa did not look any more friendly at Zira than the others. Zira knew she was in a crap spot, and decided to stay put. Timon pointed at himself and Pumbaa. "Timon, Pumbaa. Great, now that we all know each other…GET OUT OF OUR PRIDE LANDS!"

Zira glared. "_Your _Pride Lands?" She roared in his face, causing Timon to retreat in fear. "These lands belong to Scar."

Danny hung his head. "Oh, God. Here we go again. More of this Scar crap."

Simba growled. "I banished you from the Pride Lands. Now you and you're young cub…get out." He ordered.

Zira smiled, apparently not shocked in the least. "Cub? Why, haven't you met my son, Kovu?" She began to pace around the young cub. "He was hand-picked by Scar to follow in his paw prints. The future heir of the Pride Lands and Scar's successor."

Simba growled at the little cub, causing Kovu to shake uncontrollably from fear. Timon laughed. "That's not a king. That's a fuzzy maraca."

Zira ignored the riposte. "Kovu was the lastborn before you exiled us to the Outlands, where we have little food…less water."

Danny remembered how Kovu and Vitani were born after Tanabi, which was surprising. Kula was pregnant before Nala was, but her gestation period lasted longer, which was also unusual. He wondered how that happened, but left it as part of the Creator's grand plan. He heard Simba's voice rose. "You know the penalty for returning to the Pride Lands!"

Zira matched the tone. "But the child does not! However…" She came around Kovu and shoved him forward. "…if you need your pound of flesh, here you go."

It was clearly a test to see if Simba would actually kill the cub, but Danny knew he wouldn't because Simba would never stoop down to Scar's level. Zira knew this too, as evidenced by the smug smile she sported on her face. Simba wouldn't do it. Besides, it was still Tojo and Kula's son, not Zira's. Simba shook his head. "Take him and get out. We're finished here." He picked up Kiara by the scruff of her neck.

Zira stepped forward. "Oh no, Simba. We have barely begun." She looked down at Kiara and cackled lowly. Kiara stared at her in shock.

Zira picked up Kovu by the stomach instead of the scruff. She walked off. Kovu and Kiara whispered a goodbye to each other. That left the Pridelanders by themselves. They couldn't believe someone like her walked the earth, and it was no wonder why Scar and her made a good match. But only Danny, Sarabi, and a few others knew the story of Zira and Scar's past, and understood.

Still, Danny managed a laugh in Zira's direction. "'We have barely begun,'" he said, imitating Zira's voice. "That's what she thinks."

Zainabu shook her head. "She gives me a woody." Danny's smile disappeared as he did a double-take toward her. His expression suggested she said something that didn't sound right at all. She noticed the look and tried to explain. "Woody. It's a human saying. I hear you…say it…often. When you don't trust someone or they make you nervous, they give you…"

"Willies." Danny corrected, finally getting what she really meant to say. He laughed as he spoke again. "She gives you the willies." He turned to face Simba. "You take care of Kiara and the others."

Nala frowned. "Something wrong?"

Danny looked back in the direction Zira left. "I think we're gonna go after Zira and see what's going on where the Outsiders are." He jerked a thumb at his majordomo while saying this.

Haraka backed up. "Wait, wait. What's this 'we' stuff?" At seeing Danny's emotionless stare, he straightened. "I mean, yes. I will accompany His Majesty to follow Zira."

"Better," Danny replied.

Simba nodded and headed out, with all of the lioness'. Zainabu came up and nuzzled Danny's face. "Be careful."

"Aren't I always?"

She smirked. "Yeah, you've sure shown me in the past, you jerk." She turned and left to catch up with the others.

Timon tapped Pumbaa's head. "Alright, Pumbaa. Let's hightail it out of here."

Danny's friendly tone changed. It was the polar opposite, more closely to a drill sergeant. "Not so fast, Abbott and Costello. You two better have a good explanation for why Kiara was alone." He waited impatiently, tapping his foot rapidly.

Timon and Pumbaa knew they were in hot water. They let her slip away. While Simba hadn't even noticed, it was clear they would not slip past Danny. Even though he was a great person to be around with, he could be a real monster of a disciplinarian if you messed up badly, and this was not exception.

Timon stammered. "Well, w-we…were following her and we fell into a…thorn thicket. That's right, a thorn thicket."

Pumbaa nodded. "We were trapped and couldn't get out." He laughed nervously.

Danny just stared at them. He was obviously not buying the story. He just gently patted the rifle, as though they would be shot for another lie. Timon stuttered again for another story. "We fell into a ditch. It took us forever to get out."

Danny was not buying that one either. If they fell into a ditch, they would be sporting a thin coat of dirt on their bodies. He crossed his arms. "Three strikes and you two are out. Stop lying and come straight now, or your punishment will be worse than what it will be now."

Timon's shoulders sagged. "The two of us got into an argument about better bugs to eat. During that time, she managed to run away from us. When we finally realized she was gone, we heard the gunfire. Soon after that, Simba was running towards the border. We ran with him."

They both looked deeply sorry for not keeping good watch on Kiara. Danny knew they were both sorry, but punishment still had to be carried out. He would cut them a momentary break though, since he didn't have the time to think about it. He needed to follow Zira and find out what she was up to. "Here's the deal. I'm going to discuss this with Simba. We'll both figure out a punishment for the two of you. Keep in mind that I'm not letting you off the hook. You both will not like the punishment, I will guarantee that much."

"Capisce." Timon said. He and Pumbaa walked off, dejected.

Danny turned to Haraka. "Come on. We've got a recon mission to undertake, and we need to know what's going on with Zira's little band."

* * *

Simba carried Kiara over the grassy plains and hills. Everyone was silent on the trip back with the exception of Timon and Pumbaa. They were groaning over punishment and arguing about who was supposed to be watching Kiara. Simba would think of some punishment, friends or not, but now was not the time. He had his own daughter to discipline for running off.

The sky began to transition as the evening sun was starting to set. Timon and Pumbaa headed off to find some bugs to eat before turning in. Zainabu and Sarabi headed off ahead of the group and were going to join the rest of the pride, and see if they had any kills for them to eat. Nala lingered behind, but just ahead of Simba and Kiara. She, too, had a lot on her mind. The thought of losing Kiara was generally on her mind, and that was due in large part to Tanabi's death. But for some reason, she wasn't as worried. _Maybe it's because Zira no longer prowls around these lands._ She turned to look at Simba, who had stopped near the top of a hill. "Simba."

He cleared his throat. She smiled and left, realizing that he had something to take care of. Simba let Kiara down on a rock. She tried to smile to downplay the situation, but Simba's expression told her she wasn't doing a good job. Simba sighed. "Kiara, what did you think you were doing? You could've been killed today." He didn't shout, but he was still upset with her.

"B-But daddy, I…I didn't mean to disobey-"

"I'm telling you this because I love you." The look of sadness on his face was evident. "I don't wanna lose you."

"I know."

Simba came up and nuzzled her. "If something were to happen to you, I don't know what I'd do." He closed his eyes. "One day, I won't be here, and I need you to carry on in my place. You are part of the great…"

"Circle of Life," Kiara finished. This was not the first time she had heard this, but she leaned more on Danny's beliefs than anything. He believed that an almighty Creator made everything, and formed everything in a perfect balance and cycle. "I know."

"Exactly. That's why you need to be careful. As future queen…"

He put a paw on her, but she abruptly pulled away. "What if I don't want to be queen? It's no fun." True, she was a cub. But it seemed that she just wanted to be normal, and not some boring person who just ruled a kingdom everyday. She wanted adventure and fun. This was part of the reason Danny and her got along so well. He was so informal that he could be himself while leading a kingdom. That was something she wanted to be if she was going to be a leader.

Simba, on the other hand, was surprised to hear her answer. "That's like saying you don't want to be a lion. It's in your blood, as I am. We are part of each other." She huffed, but he took the opportunity to push her off the stone. She was caught off-guard by the action and slid down to the ground. She looked back up to see her father smile, which she returned. Maybe she would understand someday.

* * *

Danny and Haraka headed into the Outlands. So far, it was everything as advertised: desolate wastelands, cracked up ground indicating severe lack of moisture. The last place Danny would want to live unless he just came in from the Arctic, the Outlands was a sub-version of Hell. He seldom went this way except when he went from the jungle where he found Simba to head to Jabari's as well as during his searches over those years.

They had found Zira and followed her from a discreet distance from smell, sight, and sound. Whenever she stopped, they would hit lie down or take cover behind a rock. There were some times, where they would wait half an hour. Her paw prints helped them track her down if she was long gone, so they never lost her.

Haraka had little choice in the matter, since Danny had ordered him to go with him, but because of the king's informalities and laid back behavior, it didn't stop Haraka from voicing his opinions. The cheetah was wise to do it only in front of Danny and Danny only. "Because I know how valued my opinion is in this kingdom, I won't bother to tell you. But I think it's insane not to have some additional support besides me."

Danny just kept his eyes on Zira and his hands on his M4. "Maybe so."

Haraka held up a paw. "Oh, and just for the record. If we get caught and I have to cart your body back to Pride Rock, what do prefer? Cremation or the gorge?"

Danny smiled. "Haraka, your faith in me remains a source of personal inspiration." The sarcasm in his voice was barely evident.

Haraka nodded. "Well, I am what I am and I do what I can. And if you don't make it, can I have your boots? I could use a chew toy."

"Shut up, Haraka."

"Yeah, sure. Why not?"

They continued their trek across the Outlands to a structure in the distance. It looked like multiple pillars attached to the base of a mound. There were moving, elongated forms across the area, which told Danny that it was where Zira was headed. He stopped and pulled up his monocular and focused the lens to see what was going on from afar.

The lionesses from the group Zira had banded were all there. Danny was shocked to see all of them this close to the lands. He would've thought they were in a better land, but the fact that Kovu was on the edge of the Pride Lands quelled that myth. Some of the lionesses were digging for food in the ground, and a couple were fighting over bones and roots. The structure was definitely a termite mound, and Danny had to suppress a smile. _That's got to suck with all those termites._

He pulled the monocular down from his eye. "Well, at least we know where the outsiders are." He turned to Haraka. "Let's get closer and find out what they're up to."

* * *

Nuka walked throughout the land. He was miserable since arriving at the mound. The place had little food and water, and was nowhere near the comforts of the Pride Lands. Since he had made the decision to kill his closest friend, he had been regretting it. If he never went along with it, he would still have a friend and a decent place to stay. But that was the past and he couldn't erase it. Now, he was focused solely on the intent of reigning the Pride Lands and killing Danny.

But there was a problem with that. Because of his frail form and disheveled mane, his mother looked down on him. She didn't see him fit to rule as leader and practically ignored him unless she was yelling or punishing him. He wasn't too devious to think of a plan, but part of that was due to Zira not training or raising him properly. It was a sad way of life for Nuka. He had no friends, no chance for being a king. Zira only told him he would be king if he killed Tanabi and helped her kill Simba. But he only found out afterwards that she was lying to him for her own agenda to be fulfilled.

Nuka also realized right then that she planned to raise Kovu to be the future heir to Scar. That angered him more than anything else. He hated Kovu, mainly out of jealousy more than anything. If it wasn't for the support of Zira and the rest of the Outlanders, Nuka would've killed the cub in his sleep. That would leave only him as the next heir of Scar. He was sick of everyone talking about Kovu. "Kovu, Kovu, Kovu. Scar wasn't even his father, he just took him in before he was born. What did I do to deserve this?"

He came up to his surrogate little sister, Vitani. She was busy trying to pull a root out of the ground. Her most distinguishable features were her lavender eyes and bangs that made her distinct from the other lionesses. She was a Zira protégé in the making. Nuka came up to her. "Oh, hey Vitani. Where's little termite, Kovu? The chosen one?" Upon her ignorance of him, he took a claw and sliced the root.

The sudden snap of the root sent Vitani flying back. Nuka laughed hysterically. Vitani quickly got up, her lavender eyes flashed. "Nuka, where's Kovu?" She stalked toward him. "Did you leave him out there again?"

Nuka was busy scratching his neck. "Hey, it's every lion for himself out here. That little termite's got to learn how to live on his own."

Vitani narrowed her eyes, almost to slits. "Mother's going to be mad. She told you to _watch him_."

Nuka waved her off. "Oh, who cares? I should've been the chosen one." He pressed his back up to the upended branch, rubbing against it. "I'm the oldest, I'm the strongest, I'm the smartest…OH, THESE TERMITES!"

He began nibbling everywhere he could, rolling on his back to try quelling the itching. Another problem for him living out here was the termites. They had definitely taken a liking to his body, thanks to poor grooming and hygiene. It seemed to be driving him nuts. Vitani watched him, a smile of amusement on her face. _I can see why Mother didn't want to have him as king. _Nuka dragged his butt along the ground, trying to ease the itching there. "I…could be…a leader…if she'd…just give me…a chance."

She smirked. "Yeah, right. Why don't you tell it to her?"

Nuka stood up. "Yeah? Don't think I won't?"

Vitani looked over his shoulder. "Oh, yeah? Here's your chance."

Nuka was caught off-guard by her last words. "Huh?" He turned. Zira was coming back with Kovu in her mouth. She was obviously not a happy camper. Nuka didn't seem to see that and came bounding over. "Oh, Mother. Mother I caught some field mice for you. I left them by the…by the…" She walked past him with a growl, not bothering to answer him. He sat down in awkwardness. "…okay."

Zira let Kovu out of her mouth, and Vitani approached Kovu. "Hey, Kovu. Want to fight?" That was their only way of playing, so he bared his teeth and growled, waiting for her first move.

Zira turned around to Nuka. "You…were supposed to be _watching him_!" The venom in her voice was enough to drive anyone back, and Nuka was no exception. His failure at watching the cub was not going to help sway any favor for him, but then again, nothing else seemed to. Still, he tried every time to please his mother in effort to gain it.

Kovu turned from Vitani to face Zira. "It's not his fault. I ran off on my own."

Zira turned to face him. It was like staring into the eyes of the devil. "What were you doing?"

He drew back. "Nothing."

"Who has made us Outsiders?"

"Simba."

"Who…killed…Scar?"

"Simba." He fell over onto his back.

She peered over him. "What have I told you about _them_?"

Kovu found himself at a loss for words. Temporarily, at least. "Sorry, Mother. Well, s-she didn't seem so bad. I-I-I thought we could be…"

"Friends!" She finished for him. He shrunk back in fear. Zira paced back in forth. "You thought you could get to the daughter, and Simba would just welcome you with open arms? What an idea!"

* * *

Danny and Haraka had made their way up to a graveyard of bones, more than enough to keep them concealed from eyesight. Whether they were concealed by smell and sound remained to be seen. Haraka was concealed by a huge elephant skull whereas Danny was behind a ribcage. It wasn't the best concealment, but it provided him with the best spot to see Zira and the others without being seen. Their recon mission, for the most part, was successful. They had discovered the location of the Outsiders, and the living conditions weren't the best in the business.

Danny brought his monocular up. "Let's see what we've got going on."

"So what are you hoping to accomplish?"

"Just any additional info I can get. It can't hurt."

"Unless we get caught."

Danny rolled his eyes. "Have you ever thought positively today?"

Haraka made sure to keep his voice down and pointed a paw at the man. "Hey, that _was_ positive, Danny. I could've said 'unless we get caught _and _killed.'"

Danny hung his head. "Thanks for the input. You are a real, fun cheetah to be with. You know that?"

"I'm usually better when I'm in the Pride Lands."

"Yeah, I've noticed. When…oh, hello! What is going on?" He pulled up his monocular. Nuka was going crazy and scratching, clawing, and nibbling every part of his body. He rolled on his back. Danny chuckled. "At least I got some entertainment."

He watched Zira approach and set Kovu down. She turned to Nuka. "You were supposed to be watching him!" Even though he was at a distance, he could clearly hear her. She was definitely ticked off. Kovu came in and Zira turned to face him, causing him to shrivel back in fear.

Danny winced. "Ooh…bad move, kid."

"What is it?"

Danny turned to face Haraka. "Kovu just interrupted Zira on her PMS hour." He turned to look again. This time, she was smiling, gripping Kovu's tail. Danny frowned. "What the heck?" _How does she go from ticked off to suddenly happy? I wish I could hear what they were saying._

Haraka moved closer. "What's going on?"

Danny waited a moment before answering. "Zira is now suddenly happy and smiling."

Haraka snorted. "That's a rare occasion."

"And for good reason. Her smile is very creepy." They managed a laugh without being heard. Danny watched them go in the mound, and the rest of the lionesses followed. Soon, there was no one left. "They're all inside now."

"What do you want to do?"

Danny got up and turned the safety off and put the rifle in "burst" mode. "Let's get closer. I want to see if we can hear them, but keep a sharp eye out. I don't want to take the chance of a straggler spotting us."

They got up from their position and moved. The bare trees and rocks were about the only cover they had, but that was about it. When they got closer, the isolated termite mounds provided perfect concealment. Both of them got behind one of the pillars and peered around for any lionesses that might be watching their every-move. Danny couldn't see anything, and it was dusk out in the lands. He would have to head back soon or he would end up holding Haraka's tail all the way back to the Pride Lands.

Suddenly, the tops of the pillars opened up. Lionesses were crawling out of every one, and seemed to be celebrating. This confused Danny and Haraka, but then could hear Zira singing. They could even make out the words as she popped through the highest pillar. "Payback time is nearing, and then our flag will fly. Against a blood red sky…that's…my…lullaby!" She finished with maniacal laughter.

Danny and Haraka watched this with confusion, but more importantly, they watched with concern. Their nemesis was obviously planning something, and they didn't like the way things were shaping out. The only thing lacking was what exactly was going on. They didn't know, and that was something that bugged both of them. Danny turned to Haraka. "This can't be good. Let's head back to Pride Rock. Simba and the others will need to hear this report."

Haraka was too happy to oblige. "You don't have to tell me twice."

Zira was planning something, and whatever it was, they only knew one thing. It was not going to be good.


	7. Conflicts and Complications

"Well, Dad. Where do I start?" Danny was inside the maintenance bay of the _**Paratus Preliator**_. A lot had gone on, and it had been a while since he had made his last recording. He was in the middle of tightening a plate on the servo control system of the ventral cannon. It needed regular PMCS, or preventive maintenance checks and systems. Danny chose the cannon because he had focused on it less than other parts of the ship, mainly from the fact that he had never really used the ship in combat. But to keep it functioning for if the occasion were ever to arise, he would need to maintain it.

He kept the tape recorder on so he could record while working. "It's been about three months since Zira returned in the Pride Lands. Kovu was there." Danny closed his eyes for a second. He still felt upset for letting Zira take him and Vitani, but with her threatening to kill them, he was powerless to do anything. He hated that feeling with a passion. "He's grown a lot. But, he's under Zira's control. I'm amazed at a mother's love for their children. Kula was willing to let Zira have them if it meant letting them live. At first, it was hard to understand…but I think I do now."

Danny took a screwdriver to the last screw and began tightening it. "I told Simba about what Haraka and I discovered. We know Zira is up to no good and is planning something. I have Tojo, Chumvi, Mheetu, and Kula on patrol regularly. We still don't know what is going on there, but it looks like it has something to do with Kovu. I can only hope we can figure out what Zira is up to."

"Kiara is growing up. Nala, Shani, Aziza and a few others grew up from cubs to adult lionesses with me there. Kiara becomes another of the few cubs I've watched and, by far, she is the wildest. She reminds me of what Simba might have been had it not been for certain events that caused him to grow up elsewhere. Today, I will be teaching her everything I know. Sarabi and Nala will come with and teach her everything they know. I'm looking forward to it."

He got up and wiped the grease from his hands. "Talk about a grease monkey. I sure fit the bill. By the way, Dad, the servo control systems on the cannons are a pain in the butt to clean."

Danny grabbed the recorder and walked outside. "Unfortunately, my worst problem to date are the nightmares that cut my sleep in half. They come and go like the seasons, but when they come, they come nearly every night. I feel it all has to do with you, and the sooner I find you guys, the sooner it will go away. Honestly, I want a consistent time of rest for the next couple of years."

He laughed lightly as he thought about Zainabu. "You know, I didn't know love could be such a frustrating emotion. I'm not just talking about the arguments that a man just can't understand why the woman brings it up in the first place. I'm talking about two different species. Zee is about as close to a soul mate and love as there can be. But because of our difference in species, it's impossible to love like Simba and Nala can." Danny stopped and took in a deep breath. "Because of this, I am alone. I am the Adam of this world with no Eve. If only Zainabu could be a woman…"

Xolani, a longtime friend, came up behind him. She bowed. "Danny, the lionesses are waiting for you to join them."

Danny turned and smiled to her. "Thanks, Xolani. Tell them I'll be down in ten minutes."

When she left, he turned back to the sun, which was almost at its highpoint in the sky. "I just wish I could have a family of my own, but unless I am able to find a woman and convince her to live here, it won't happen. I guess maybe I am to go it alone." He finished recording and put the device back in his pocket.

He headed back up inside his ship, and grabbed his M4 rifle; made sure the scope was firmly attached. "Another problem that I have faced before is limited supplies. I've survived on food and water the primitive way at times, but I'm running out of ammo and may have to make a bow and some arrows to hunt for food. Time will tell on all this, won't it?" He paused. "I miss you, Dad. When I find you, then we can head home and have everything the way it was before."

That was another problem. If he found his family, how would his lion family react? Danny was pretty sure Sarabi would be sad, but would also understand. The others probably might have different reactions. Zainabu would definitely cry her eyes out, and he wondered if she would resume her life as it was before he came. But would _he _want to leave? He didn't know, but that question could be answered another time.

* * *

The herd of antelope had stopped to drink from the waterhole. It was a fairly hot day and they needed to be refreshed. The younger antelope were more restless than their adult family members and were busy playing around the edges of the herd. Sometimes, they would venture to far out and would be chased back by the adults.

They were near the waterhole, in a semi-large open field, but tall grass surrounded the inner circle where the herd was at. This was where Danny, Nala, Sarabi, and Kiara. Danny, as always, had difficulty crawling to the prey. It wasn't the length of the crawl, but rather the task of doing it quietly. Unlike the lionesses, with padded paws to keep their steps silenced, Danny had to take extra special care to crawl softly to avoid snapping twigs, rustling too much grass, or coming into contact with stones.

Danny peeked his head up slowly to get an idea of what was going on. None of the antelope seemed to be paying him any mind. He brought his head back down. Kiara sat next to him to listen to her lesson. Nala and Sarabi were in positions hidden from them, ready for an emergency.

Danny pointed at her. "Okay, the first thing is patience. As a hunter, you have to learn how to wait for the right moment."

"Okay, be patient. Got it," she said. Her tone was normal, which was unsuitable for hunting.

"You also have to be more quieter than that. Anything at a normal tone will cause them to run. Also, you have to be aware of your surroundings. This is especially important when it comes to being quiet. For me, it's extra hard because I don't have paws like you. I have to be alert at all times." She nodded and continued to listen. However, a butterfly flew around them, catching some of her attention. But most of it was still on her uncle's teachings. "A key thing is breathing. If you are breathing too hard, they will hear you and am-scray before you are set. It's best to breath softly, and breathe in with your nose and out with your mouth. That goes for stalking _and _running."

"Got it." Kiara's undivided attention to Danny was now officially divided. Half her concentration was on the butterfly. The insect began flying around her head.

Danny slowly got up. "For you, when the time is right, you jump out from where you're hiding and nab the closest one to you. For me, well, watch the man for the plan." He aimed his rifle at an antelope.

Kiara jumped up and took a swipe at the butterfly. She let out a grunt, and it was loud enough for some of the antelope to hear. They began moving, which caused the whole herd to run. And they ran…towards Danny and Kiara.

Danny cursed. He wasn't the type to curse, but it slipped out of his mouth from time to time. This was one of those times. "Get down!" He covered Kiara up and hoped that no one would get injured. The herd ran around them. They were nicked a few times, but for the most part, they were okay. Danny lifted his head up. His expression was dark. "And you have got…to keep…your mind…on the _job._" He glared at Kiara.

She managed a weak smile. "Heh…sorry."

* * *

The four moved to another herd on the western border. This herd was not an antelope herd; it was a wildebeest herd. Much larger than the antelope, they were a more difficult animal to bring down. Nala sat down with Kiara. This time, Sarabi and Danny separated and circled around the herd. From the three points where the four were at, they formed a triangle around the herd, with the tip being Danny. Nala was now going to give the lesson.

Kiara then focused on her mother. Danny had given Nala and Sarabi the suggestion of not letting the cub eat for the night, to show her what happens when she doesn't focus and compromises the hunt. He was joking, but Kiara took it seriously.

Nala jerked her head out to the herd. "A big part of the hunt is teamwork, cooperation, and coordination. Lionesses need to act as a team to catch our food. It can still be done by yourself, but it's much harder to catch prey that way."

"Cooperation has a lot to do with patience. Members need to wait until the time is perfectly synched. Otherwise, someone may time their chase wrong, and come up empty-handed."

"Coordination works with cooperation. If you coordinate things perfectly, the pride will be able to eat for the day. Otherwise, you'll have to keep hunting."

Kiara understood. "I got it. Is there going to be an example of this, Mom?"

Nala smiled. "Yes, honey. Danny will stand up from where he is at and fire to scare the herd. They should head our way."

Kiara cringed. "You mean like what happened with me and Uncle Danny?"

The queen laughed. "No, not like that. They should run right in between your grandmother and I. When the time is right, we will both ambush them and separate a wildebeest from the herd." She turned and flicked her tail. That was the signal for Danny to get up. "Now watch," she whispered.

Danny got up and aimed his rifle at the ground. He fired two rounds, and the herd acted just the way Nala explained. They panicked and ran away, right into the bottleneck Sarabi and Nala formed. The herd's first members began to pass through. When the middle of the herd was right between them, both Nala and Sarabi jumped at a lone wildebeest in between two big groups of the herd. Nala jumped on top of its back while Sarabi began slashing at the legs. The animal finally fell down by Nala's weight as the lioness strangulated the wildebeest.

After the herd was past, Kiara looked up to see her mother and grandmother guarding their kill. She was amazed at how precise they were in their hunt. She wanted to do the same as they did, but that would mean going through a test on her own. Only time would tell and hope would drive.

Danny jogged up to where they were. "Now _that _is how you do it, Kiara."

The cub was still at a loss for words from the hunt. Nala smiled. "This should be good enough for the pride. Will you be eating the prey with us, Danny? Or will you be eating one of your…MRE's?" She looked as though she wasn't sure if she got the name right.

"I'll be eating some of the wildebeest. I want to savor as much taste of my old home as I can."

Sarabi came up to her and brushed a paw on Kiara's head. "With time and patience, you will be a wonderful queen and huntress."

The word "queen" sounded so boring to Kiara, but she hid it behind her smile. "Yes, Grandma."

Sarabi turned to Nala. "Could you help me with the carcass, Nala? We have some food to give to the pride."

Nala helped Sarabi haul the wildebeest back to Pride Rock. There was gonna be some food to eat, and no one would want to miss the party. Simba would definitely be tired as he took both his and Danny's rounds for the day in order to have a full day off with his mate and daughter. The food would replenish his energy, and store up some for the next day.

Danny pointed at Kiara. "I still think she shouldn't eat."

* * *

Chumvi patrolled the northern side of the Pride Lands. Patrolling was nothing to write home about these days, so to speak. He had a few encounters here and there and helped regulate the herds coming in, but other than that, there was nothing to do. The days of a sentinel could be tiresome, but not without a purpose. He wasn't asked to do much, so it wasn't a matter of complaining for a heavy workload. All he had to do was patrol the lands and defend it from attack.

The chocolate-furred lion groaned. "If only I could be finding something more entertaining right now."

"Then why don't you turn around?"

Chumvi turned to the sound of a young lioness. It was one of the lionesses who was born during Scar's reign. Chumvi tried to recall her name. "Uh, Aziza, right?"

Aziza smiled. "You're a quick learner. You're Chumvi, I take it?" He nodded as she walked up beside him. "You mind having some company?"

Chumvi returned the smile. "No, actually I could use the company. Even Tojo's birds would be nice to have around."

"Wow, you must be really bored." The last statement from Chumvi puzzled her. "Um…what's the story behind Tojo and the birds?"

"Interesting story, actually," the sentinel said with amusement. "Danny, Simba, and Tojo found the bird eggs but no mother. When Danny and Simba left for about an hour, the eggs hatched open and the two chicks saw Tojo and assumed he was their mother. Can you believe that?"

Aziza laughed. "So that's why they follow him everywhere?"

"Yeah, they're like family to him. Kula doesn't seem to mind unless she wants some alone time with Tojo." They both shared a laugh. Chumvi had seen this lioness before and was definitely interested in getting to know. She also seemed interested with him, but it was only him, Danny, and Mheetu. Well, Danny didn't count. Chumvi knew Danny was in a predicament as far as finding a mate, but a lioness was not an option. He and Mheetu, on the other hand, were not in the same problem. They both had numerous lionesses to chose from. Maybe Aziza was someone he should get to know.

"So how did he take care of the birds?" Aziza asked.

"When we were living with Jabari and his people, we had lived on a beach, practically. Tojo had found some fruits and nuts until they were old enough to get their own food. Since then, they fly around him and keep him company. When they rest, they perch on his head or back."

The lioness smirked. "That's a sight I'd like to see."

"You hang around him long enough, you'll see it. I just…" He stopped speaking as his ears perked up.

Aziza immediately assumed a crouching position, a reflexive position in moments like these. Still, she didn't know what was going on. "What is it?" He didn't answer at first, trying her patience at the same time. She did not like to be out of the loop. "Well?"

Chumvi's expression was mixed with disgust and confusion. "Do you hear that?"

"I don't hear anyth-"

"Right there." A warbling, guttural noise was heard at a faint pitch. It was followed by an eerie, metallic clap. Dread filled both of them, as the noise became louder and louder with each passing moment. Whatever it was, it was coming closer and closer to them. Problem was, they couldn't see anything. With cloudy weather and an incoming rainstorm and thunder, their vision was limited. Chumvi frowned, but inside he was filled with dread. "Where is that noise coming from?"

Aziza was frightened. "I don't know, but I wanna get out of here. Please, Chumvi."

Chumvi waited for anything to happen. He was somewhat disappointed that nothing came. The lion shook his head. "I wonder where it went?" He asked rhetorically. Knowing he would not have an answer, Chumvi turned around. "Come on, let's go."

From the tall grass, a hand grabbed Chumvi's leg. He roared and pulled back. It struck him as odd that the hand was cold as ice. Chumvi and Aziza turned to face a creature they had never seen before. It had a similar structure to Danny's species, but it was made out of a material much like Danny's tools and ship. Chumvi frowned. _What did Danny call it? Oh, metal._ The being's scariest feature was it's bright red eyes, giving the figure a demonic look. "You seem scared, furball. Why is that?"

Chumvi tried to maintain his composure but he knew he was failing. "The fact that you just grabbed me and I've never seen your kind before."

The being laughed. "Oh, get used to it. The storm is coming, and there's nothing you can do to stop it." He waved around. "Don't you see? This land of yours, this paradise you live in…it's not gonna last. You think you're all happy, but we'll see if you think the same when this place is nothing but slag and a glassed surface."

"What are you talking about?" Chumvi demanded.

The being leered at him. "You're not listening, aren't you? Well, I guess I should just keep quiet and let you find out for yourselves." He gazed at them, his eyes jerked back and forth at the two, as if something in the shadows was going to jump out at the being. "The one who leads us will rise up and take everything for himself, even you. Enjoy your time now and pray you die off before it happens, because when it does, you'll wish you were dead."

Chumvi narrowed his eyes. "Who?"

The creature's red eyes glowed. "_Him._"

"Who are you?" Aziza asked.

"Just one who serves him who will go out conquering and to conquer." The being laughed maniacally before sparks and tiny explosions peppered the body of the metal beast. It finally went limp, and it's eyes went black.

Chumvi and Aziza just stood there, speechless. They were so stunned at what they had just witnessed. What did it mean? Was someone coming for them? They didn't know, and they were now afraid of the answer. They had never seen this thing before, and they would need to report to Danny.

That's when Chumvi stopped. He didn't know if reporting to Danny was such a good idea. With everything going on, the last thing he might need was more stress added to him. Aziza noticed the lack of a male presence beside her and looked back. "Hey! Are you frozen back there?"

Chumvi shook his head and walked to her. "I was just thinking what to do about this."

She shrugged in response. "Simple: report the incident. Didn't Danny stress the importance of reports a while ago?"

"Yes, and I know we should report this. But I'm not so sure reporting to Danny about this would be a good idea. I'd rather report to Simba and if he decides to, he will inform Danny."

"But wouldn't Danny have better information than Simba would about this…thing that spoke to us?"

"I still would feel more comfortable if Simba heard this. Danny has a lot on his plate right now?"

"Like what?" She inquired, this time with slight annoyance.

Chumvi countered that. "What do you mean 'like what?'" He stopped. "Look, Danny has lost more than any of us. He lost his entire human family, he had to lead the pride including you, if I'm not mistaken. He is king now, has been plagued by nightmares, and now has to keep watch on the Outsiders. Did I leave anything out?"

Aziza got the point. Danny did have a lot of things to deal with, and while Simba had some problems too, he didn't have as much stress to deal with. "Well, you're the sentinel. I'm not going to get in the way of your job. But I will tell you, this might be a problem in the near future."

Chumvi looked ahead to Pride Rock. "Duly noted. Now let's inform Simba of this."

* * *

Simba listened to everything Chumvi reported. The being did get his attention immediately, and the fact that it was not human did bother him. Half of him wanted to ask his brother if he knew anything about this, but Chumvi also suggested it would be wise not to let Danny know, at least not yet. Danny still had much to deal with and this might add more stress to the workload he already carried. In the end, he decided it was best to wait until some things cleared and Danny would be less buried with work.

Simba nodded as Chumvi concluded. "Thank you, Chumvi. I appreciate the report. I will inform Danny of this, but not right away. We'll save it for later, when the immediate issues are filtered out. The herds are still being brought in and we need to proportionate the land for them."

"That sounds good, sire. Have the lionesses come back from the hunt?"

Simba looked out in the lands. "Zainabu took the lionesses out for the hunt with Nala and my mother out to train Kiara on her hunting skills. I believe Danny went with them, too."

"What about the other cubs, sire?" That was Aziza who asked.

Simba had not forgotten them. "They will go with the pride and be trained by them. I know Danny will be out there with them to help. He always does, even though his hunting skills have vast differences."

"And quicker results," Chumvi added.

Tojo and Kula came up the slope, the former bounding his way up. The birds, as usual, were perched on his back, balancing themselves as usual. Both looked tired from their patrol, and Mheetu was about to go on his shift. They rotated to make sure everyone had time to themselves as well as some rest.

Chumvi whispered into Aziza's ear. "Now you've seen the birds on Tojo's back."

She giggled. "Yep, and it's definitely something out of the ordinary."

Tojo walked up to them. "Is this a private party or can anybody join?"

Simba smiled as the two joined in. "Well, I think it's an open party. What have you got?"

"Well, I found something odd. It seemed to be the hyenas that lived among us. I recognized their scent."

Aziza blinked. "What were they doing back here?"

"No idea. But they didn't advance into the lands. I'm not sure why, though." Tojo shook his head. "Maybe they don't want to face us after what happened a year and a half ago."

Chumvi smiled. Tojo frowned. "What's so funny, Hershey Bar?"

"If you think that was interesting, you should've been with us." He pointed back to where he was at. "We found some sort of creature near the northern border. It was made of metal and looked something like a human." He then repeated to Tojo everything the robot said to them. "And he said he serves the one who will go out conquering and to conquer."

Tojo's eyebrows rose, as did his fur. "I take back what I said. This is more important. Have you told Danny yet?"

The others exchanged glances. Simba held up a paw. "I don't think it would be a good idea to tell him right now, given everything that he's going and gone through, as well as all the things he's having to do."

Tojo's expression told them how he felt. "I don't think that's a good idea. He'd rather be notified and keeping track of that. To him, I think it would be worth the stress if it means being better prepared."

Kula's decision was the same. "I'm with Tojo on this one. Danny would rather be noticed."

Simba got up. "I understand your side on this, but it won't hurt if we tell him later. When he's a little more relaxed, I'll inform him."

Tojo shrugged. "Well, honestly I can't tell you what to do, Bwana. But I gotta tell you I don't like it."

They turned to see both groups of the pride returning with their food. Danny, Kiara, Nala, and Sarabi came in with a wildebeest while Zainabu and the others returned with a zebra. Both groups wore the same ragged, hungry looks, obviously wanting to eat. Simba turned to the sentinels. "Thank you for the reports. I will pass what should be passed on to Danny withholding the situation with the metal figure. Other than that, let's all eat."

Tojo and Kula trotted over to eat while Chumvi and Aziza remained behind to talk. Simba came up to Nala and nuzzled her. "Well, how was Kiara's lessons?"

Nala smirked and looked at Danny, who was cutting some meat from the wildebeest and setting it on his cooking rocks. "Excellent, although Danny jokingly insists on Kiara not eating for almost getting him and her trampled on by antelopes."

Simba hung his head and chuckled. "There's no place like home."

* * *

Mheetu was beginning his shift. He had been doing this for quite some time and had enjoyed every minute of it. Growing up with the late King Aren in the Mountain Pride during his cub hood, the deceased lion had taught him a lot about having a sense of duty. At first, Aren was hesitant to train the cub since Mheetu was not of his own blood, but with the "support" of Jaydi, he consented.

He managed to train Malka on his duties as a future king, and trained Mheetu on obeying those placed in authority above him. Mheetu had no intentions of becoming a king, so he learned as a faithful student. Eventually, Aren began to love the cub as though he were his own son. Mheetu learned a great deal about having a sense of duty and honor.

When Danny and Simba formed the sentinels, they included a creed that the sentinels would follow. Mheetu took it to heart and memory as soon as it was spoken:

_I am a Sentinel._

_I am a guardian and a member of a team. _

_I serve the people of Pride Rock and live in a code of honor._

_I will always place the mission first._

_I will never accept defeat._

_I will never quit._

_I will never leave a fallen comrade._

Those words left a lasting mark on the lion. He had always been driven in honor and duty, with motivation adding some extra fuel. Mheetu swore that he would obey the creed of the Sentinels for the rest of his life. If not for Aren's training, who knows where he might be. But one thing was for sure, he wouldn't be here.

About the only thing that some didn't like about him was that he, along with the rest of the cubs that were placed in Aren and Jabari's care, were often ridiculed by the pride members who lived during Scar's reign, particularly some of the younger ones.

Shani, one of the lionesses who was born during Scar's reign, gave the most. She definitely had directed a lot of it towards Mheetu, and he had no idea why. Most of .the time, he would shrug it off or ignore her comments. But he'd rather have her shut up so he wouldn't have to hear her again. Nevertheless, he was polite and went on with his life. He just wished Aren had taught him more about lionesses' and their behaviors.

He walked across the plains towards the western border. It was mostly open plains with waterholes, but there were some rocky terrain to the left. Given the reports Tojo had given him, he decided to investigate the rocks to see if the hyenas decided to encamp there. They didn't advance when Tojo was on duty, but they might've simply been studying. A smart enemy would study an opposing force, and the hyenas might've been looking for weaknesses to exploit and how to deal strength versus strength.

Mheetu entered the rocky terrain and searched around. So far, there was nothing out of the ordinary. But as Danny said, something out of the ordinary always comes out of nothing. Mheetu had to agree with him. Scar was one such example. He seemed normal, if a little strange. But then, something came out of the ordinary when Scar killed his own brother and assumed the throne. Mheetu shook his head. "I wonder what it would be like if Mufasa never died?"

Pebbles tumbled to the ground from above him, to his left. He looked up there, and heard nothing after that. He narrowed his eyes. "On the subject of outside the ordinary…who was that?" He shrugged. "Oh, well."

He continued maneuvering through the terrain when he found a gap between the path he was walking on. It was about ten feet and would require a small jump. Mheetu backed up to get a running start. "One, two…three!" He broke out in a sprint. When he reached the edge, Mheetu jumped over and landed on the other side.

Unfortunately, he miscalculated his jump, going too far and putting too much momentum into it. He landed and tried to slow down. Mheetu slowed down, but going down the slope, he ran into a lioness. She fell down from the impact. "Ow, watch where you're going?"

Mheetu straightened and stood. "My apologies. I didn't mean…" He realized the lioness he had hit was Shani. He closed his eyes. _Oh, great. Just who I need to hear from. This is not gonna be good._

Shani recognized him. "Ah, Mheetu. I see you have a new deficiency: clumsiness."

Mheetu ignored her, and tried to quell the conversation quickly. "Sorry, I knocked you down. Now can I get going? I have my duty to do."

"_I have my duty to do,_" Shani said, mimicking his deep voice. "Is that all you think about? Or are you just trying to make up for the lack of duty you avoided during Scar's reign?"

Mheetu rolled his eyes. He really believed this lioness was put into his life to test him in every facet of life. "I am not. If you recall, I was sent away to live, since Scar planned to kill all male cubs during his time as king."

Shani didn't believe him, and her tone assured that. "Sure, sure. No one's blaming you, you were just living in paradise while some of us had to grow up under that…monster's rule."

"Look, I'm sorry you had to grow up under him, but if Tojo, Chumvi, and I stayed here, I wouldn't be talking to you right now. Besides, don't you have something better to do besides bugging me all the time? Don't you have someone else to annoy?"

She smirked in response. "That's what I thought. I wouldn't talk about it, either."

Mheetu closed his eyes, fighting for the last sliver of patience. "Outta my way. I've got a job to do and you're getting in my way."

"What are you gonna do about it?"

Mheetu didn't know what to do. He would never hit a female unless he was defending himself, but that would only happen if was his last resort. She was really pushing the boundaries, and testing his pride only compounded the issue. Growing up a different life, he would've fought through her. But he wouldn't, not even if she would call him a coward for not fighting. He tried to walk past her, but Shani blocked his path. He narrowed his eyes. "Are you lookin' for a problem?"

"I found you, didn't I?"

Mheetu gritted his teeth. His tolerance was now at a critical level. He moved quickly to the left, and she moved. He shifted back to the right and began moving at a fast pace. In the rear, he could hear Shani shout, "That's right. Just run away from your problems!"

Mheetu did his best to ignore her. He knew if he stuck around any longer that conflict would turn into a physical one. That was something he did not want to get into, especially with one of his own pride members. They were not enemies, but Shani was doing a good job at potentially changing that. _I'm just glad things didn't get worse._

With that over with, he continued his patrolling. But something in his mind told him this wasn't over.

* * *

The pride had their share of food and ate well. The leftovers would remain for Mheetu and the few others that were venturing the lands. Most of the pride, being full from their meal, headed inside the den to take a long cat nap. Danny was among the few that did not go to sleep. He waited for about an hour before doing his exercises.

Chumvi and Aziza left Pride Rock to dispose of the robot they'd encountered earlier. They knew Danny patrolled the lands frequently on his speeder bike, and it would only be a matter of time before he would find it. They dumped it into the river and let the waterfall take care of the body. Then they went back to Pride Rock.

Danny was in the middle of doing some crunches when he saw Zainabu approaching him. He stopped his exercises. "Hey, what's up, Zee?"

She sat down and smiled. "Nothing. Just didn't feel like sleeping."

"That makes two of us. I can't just go to sleep after eating my food. The only time I'll do that is if I'm about to go to sleep anyway."

Zainabu scratched the back of her neck. "I just don't feel like sleeping right now. Normally, I'd be sleeping with them, but not today." She stopped scratching. "I'm sure I've asked you this before, but why do you keep exercising?"

Danny stretched his arms. "I do it to stay in shape. Since I live with lions, who are faster and stronger than me, I have to do my best to keep up." He stood. "Sooner or later, I'm gonna run out of ammo for my weapons, and I'll be down to a knife. I need to continue exercising to keep up with everyone."

Zainabu nodded. "Okay." She laughed. "I'm sure I've asked that before, but I just wanted to make sure."

"That's alright." Danny knew he could talk to her about anything. Only Simba and Sarabi had that held that same privilege with him. He trusted her, and felt comfortable talking to Zainabu about anything. Simba was his brother and Sarabi his mother, both surrogates. But Zainabu was different. She was something special, and he made her feel that way. He would spend his spare time with her, have fun with her, and ask her to come with him on travel.

Zainabu gave him a sweet smile. "Danny, would do you think is in store for us?"

Danny knew exactly what she meant. She was talking about their feelings for each other. He knew there was no escaping this, whether he stalled off or not. He took in a deep breath. "Zee, you are the closest one to me aside from Simba and Sarabi. In our case, they don't count. Ever since I got here, you were nice to me from the very start. I can't tell you how much that meant to me, especially with everything I've gone through…_am _going through."

Zainabu nodded. "And you've always made me feel special. You've saved my life on more than one occasion, and I looked up to you during those three tough years we went through. I still do, and I'm just amazed at how well of a leader you are. I know this hurts to bring it up, but your parents must've been proud."

Danny felt only a slight pain, mainly because he was still searching for them. He still never had confirmation that they were dead. "They still are."

He watched Zainabu place a paw on his shoulder. "Danny…"

He pointed at her. "Hey, they were never confirmed dead. Until I do get confirmation, they are still alive to me. I won't…" He realized he was going off on a tangent. But before he got back on subject, Mheetu came up to eat his share of food. He was clearly not in a good mood, and he usually kept his feelings inside. This time, he was angry without a doubt. Danny frowned as he watched him walk. "Hang on a second, Zee."

He got up and walked to where Mheetu was eating. Danny remembered a lion's etiquette, and coming close to one while they were eating was not a good idea. So he stood at a distance when he called out to Mheetu. "Hey, Mheetu." He received a growl in response, and Danny kept a firm hand on his pistol. He was sure this wouldn't have to go down to his weapons, but Danny wouldn't take any chances. "Mheetu, I need to speak with you immediately." His voice took on a more demanding tone. "Now."

Mheetu was not wanting to talk, but he wouldn't ignore an order from the king. He left his food and walked over to him. "You want to talk to me, sire?"

Danny narrowed his eyes. "What happened out there, Mheetu?"

"Nothing."

"Are you sure?"

Mheetu was already irritated. His voice becoming dangerously close to venomous. "It was nothing."

Danny didn't believe him, but didn't bother to press the issue. Mheetu was already in a bad mood, and going any further might spur an attack. "Alright, then. Once you are done with your food, I expect you to head back out to finish your patrol and give me a report." He pointed all of his fingers at Mheetu. "I _will_ expect that report by tonight."

Mheetu bowed. "Yes, sire. I will return to duty as soon as I'm done eating. I will give a report when I'm done."

"Very well." Danny walked away to let the lion eat his food. He had never seen Mheetu like this, and could only assume it was from earlier on his patrol. He wanted to know what was bugging the sentinel, so he would know what was going on and see if he could try to help him. One way or the other, Danny would get to the bottom of this.

He walked back to Zainabu, who noticed the look on his face. She frowned. "Is everything okay?"

"No, something's bugging him. I've never seen him like this."

"What do you think is bothering the kid?"

Danny frowned. "I don't know, but I'm gonna find out." He decided to discuss things with Zainabu later. Part of him was glad they never got to the conclusion, because he knew nothing could happen between them. She was a lioness and he was a man. They would be as close as the most faithful couple in terms of loyalty and unconditional love, but that was it. He knew she would be hurt if and when he told her nothing could happen between them. It hurt him as well, and it reiterated the fact that he was alone in terms of a spouse.

Danny slowly began realizing that if his family was truly gone, then he would live the rest of his life here. Assuming no wild animal killed him, his longer life span would be his blessing as well as his curse. He would be around while his pride family here would come and go. He would see generation after generation until he would finally pass away of old age. And unless something miraculous happened, he would go through his lifetime with no wife.

* * *

Evening set on the Pride Lands, and the pride had spent most of its time during the day resting. Mheetu had given the report to Danny, but withheld the "conversation" with Shani. He said a few hyenas from the group Tojo spotted ambushed him. He drove them out, and did not like getting ambushed. That combined with a lack of sleep made him edgy. Danny accepted the story…for now. Honestly, he did not believe the story. He knew Mheetu well enough to know that he wouldn't get edgy over an ambush. But he would settle this later.

Unbeknownst to everyone in the Pride Lands, two lions were watching over the lands. They were not Pride Landers, but two outsiders originally from the pride. Not just any two lions; it was Zira and her son, Nuka. They had been scouting the place ever since they had been banished, but Danny had caught them on his cameras and drove them off. At night, however, he was less likely to discover them, and the outsiders responded with dusk and night operations.

Nuka shook his head. "Look at these chumps, Mother. They go around thinking they're all high and mighty. If only I could get my claws on Kiara…"

"Quiet." Zira said calmly. "In time, they will find out that they will rue the day they crossed Scar. With Kovu in training for his mission, the only thing that we can't rush is time."

Nuka shook his head. "Then why can't I be the chosen one? I am Father's true son, not Kovu. I should be the leader when we overthrow and kill Simba and Danny. Do I have to take Simba on one-on-one and kill Danny in his sleep to prove that I should be the leader?" This was the strongest stance he had made at his mother, and he made a good point.

Zira knew getting angry wouldn't change the situation, and she wouldn't kill her own son no matter how much she neglected him. An idea popped in her head. Maybe a little competition between Nuka and Kovu might not only see who should be Scar's heir, but also to keep Nuka off her back. "If that's the case, then why don't we try a different approach?" At Nuka's frown, she continued. "We are not quite ready yet. Even if you come out over Kovu, we will need two adult lions to ensure a triumph. We need to chip away at their strengths so they will face us on even grounds."

She turned around to head back to the termite mound. "I think we need to study the patterns of the pride over the next couple months. Then, when the time is right, we must make sure the high-flying kings encounter some…_turbulence_."

Nuka smiled the same evil grin Zira had. "Tell me more, Mother. What must I do?"

Zira waited for him to walk up beside her. "Here's the plan…"


	8. Breaking Point

A full year passed by with peace and harmony in the Pride Lands. Kiara and the other cubs continued their training. The lionesses did a great job with them, and it showed. They were becoming great team players and honing their skills on the hunts. The cubs even helped each other with the individual strengths they each had. Overall, the entire pride looked at the young generation with pride.

Simba and Nala spent quality time with each other while doing their respective duties. Sarabi, as Queen Mother, continued playing with the cubs while mentoring the lionesses on hunting and character building. She was an invaluable member of the pride, and her time as queen gained her a great level of respect.

Danny spent at least two days a week searching around for his family, but found nothing. He was looking for every water vein that could fit his father's yacht, but coming home empty-handed. He was slowly wondering if his family was alive after all these years, but was keeping an eye out for anything.

Danny had also kept an eye on the sentinels over the months. Tojo seemed fine, though he and Kula still showed some pain over the loss of their cubs to Zira. They could only wonder what was going on with them. Danny and Tojo tried to investigate the Outlands when possible, but couldn't really do much. One day, Haraka had made a report of watching Zira train Vitani and Kovu vigorously and almost brutally. Danny would keep this in mind, but did not want to cause more pain and dread for the parents by informing them.

Chumvi was doing alright, and even better when around Aziza. She had begun a routine of accompanying him on his rounds and they seemed to enjoy each other's company. It was becoming clear they seemed to be more than just interested with each other. Both seemed to be falling in love with every passing day, and it was only a matter of time before they would come out to the pride about becoming a couple. Berhane, Chumvi's mother, was very happy to see this and hoped that they would be mates in the future.

That left Mheetu, who was an entirely different story. Ever since that one day he came back with a dark attitude, he had been a lot more moody and agitated. It was the first time Danny or Simba had seen him like this. At first, Danny wrote it off as being jealous that his friends were finding love interests and he wasn't. But one day, Simba came to Danny and said he caught Shani making fun of Mheetu, who was trying to be polite and avoiding her. Danny had a good idea what might have been going on, but it was nothing more than hearsay and speculation.

* * *

One day, Simba got up and headed for the waterhole. He and Danny were both about to do rounds together and see how things would work between the people if both kings were present. Zazu and Haraka, however, did not do their morning reports together. They both needed to reach the herds, flocks, and packs quickly so the kings would have the reports for the morning.

Simba reached the waterhole and began to drink. He had much to think about, but it would wait until Danny came. He stopped to look up at the sky. "Father, I don't know how you did it, but I'd sure like to know how."

Mufasa was much like Simba's great grandfather, Mohatu. He had the respect and love of all the people, and they helped keep the peace and balance among the land. Simba was not inheriting a peaceful and prosperous land like Mufasa, but he had felt great pride because of how hard he and Danny worked to get the lands to be like they were before and even better.

The sound of a rock landing behind him caused him to turn around. Nothing. But then something pulled his tail, causing him to yelp in pain. He turned around to attack, only to find Danny running away to make sure he didn't get hit. Danny called back. "Tag! You're it!"

Simba chased him. It didn't take long before he caught up to Danny. He slapped the man's back with his paw, but made sure not unsheathe his claws. The force of the blow caused Danny to fall forward, but he tucked and rolled. Simba landed on top of Danny, who was laughing. Simba rolled his eyes, but couldn't hide the smile. "You jackass! You scared me half to death."

Danny grabbed his stomach. He was laughing so hard. "I just wish I could've seen you're eyes. It would've been priceless."

Simba just bopped him on the head. "You're hopeless."

"Tell me you don't have moments where you just wanna have fun?"

Simba shook his mane. "Yeah, I do. It's just harder now that I'm a king."

"Not harder. It's just that being a king takes up a lot of time, but that doesn't mean being a king makes it difficult."

The lion smirked. "Prove it."

Danny sat up. "I play with the cubs a lot. I patrol the lands with the sentinels, search for my family, visit Jabari and Malka, and still have time for some fun. I don't think you have that much. I know you spend time with Nala and Kiara, but I think you should spend even more time with them."

"But Danny…"

"But nothing. After we do our morning rounds, I'm going to visit Jabari and Malka. This time, I'm flying and taking Zainabu with me. Also unlike the last time, I'm gonna start with Jabari's kingdom. His messenger hasn't come to me even once since the last time I visited."

Simba frowned. "Do you think something happened to them?"

"I think it would be foolish not to assume that. For all we know, they could be in trouble. I just hope Jabari forgot to get a messenger to come here." He got back on the subject. "But even so, after the morning rounds you will spend your day with Kiara and Nala. Being around family is very important."

"I'll do that, but let's take care of business first."

* * *

Mheetu got up to go on his patrol. This time, it was his turn to patrol first along the borders. He went to go to the waterhole to get rid of the dryness in his mouth. He would be back by midday for his meal and trade shifts with Chumvi and Tojo. Instead of walking, he broke out into a run. He needed the exercise to shake off the sleep and be ready for his patrol.

He reached the waterhole in no time. He began lapping up the water to refresh his mouth. Once his thirst was quenched, Mheetu began to stretch out his paws. "Okay, time to get going."

"That's right. Time for you to go back to where you came from."

Mheetu groaned. _Oh, no. Why did it have to be her? _He turned to see a lioness come around the rock on the other side of the waterhole. Despite his now darkened mood, he remained polite and gave her a nod. "Shani."

She did not reciprocate. "When are you gonna learn? You don't belong here. Go back to Malka's pride and live in paradise there."

Mheetu had enough of this. "Okay, Shani. We're going to get to the bottom of this right now. Why do you want me out of here so badly?"

Shani glared at him. "Because I don't want to have company with someone who ran from all the troubles we faced here with Scar."

Mheetu hung his head. "Look, I'm sorry you went through a rough time as a cub. I was sent away to avoid being killed by Scar. If nothing was done, I would be dead and you would be in the same situation but no one to take your frustrations out on."

The venom in her voice was obvious. "Well, maybe you should go back there, anyways. It might things all better for everyone if you did."

That hurt him. She had said some horrible things to him, and this was the worst. It was the same thing as her wishing he were dead. Mheetu didn't why someone would hate him so much, but Shani did somehow. He fought the tears, but his eyes were welling up. "I didn't know you thought that _little _of me."

Without another word, he ran away from her. She was the one lioness out of the whole pride who constantly drained the life out of him. Mheetu was hoping to have a good start the day, but this just ruined it. Through teary eyes, he shouted. "Why God? What did I do to deserve this?"

He ran away to head for the borders, but he wasn't sure if he was going to start his patrol or runaway altogether. Mheetu had endured this berating from Shani long enough, but he didn't want to go whining to the kings. It wasn't their business, and they both respected that.

Mheetu was nearing the borders. Soon, he would have his decision.

* * *

Danny and Simba were busy with an issue between some elephants and giraffes. One elephant had bullied his way through the herd of giraffes to get what he wanted for food, and injured a younger giraffe female in the process. Both herds were in heated debate before the leaders tried to settle the problem between them. But that had no effect, as the elephant commander defended his fellow member, and the result was the same.

Zazu had been there for this, and reported it as a priority to take care of on rounds. Simba was speaking to them. "Alright, we've questioned your groups separately. We have come to a decision."

Danny stepped forward. Both parties looked at him, realizing he would give the verdict. He pointed to the guilty elephant. "You will be excommunicated from the peoples of the Pride Lands for a week. You will have to find food outside the area, and then you may return." He then pointed to the elephants, the whole bunch of them. "Since the rest of you are willing to defend your member when you all know he is in the wrong, you will be given a task. Until the injured giraffe is recovered, you will go to Rafiki and gather whatever he feels she needs for her injuries. Herbs, gourds, it doesn't matter. You will get it and bring it back to the giraffes."

Simba looked back at the guilty elephant. "In the event that the giraffe does not make it, you will be banished permanently from the Pride Lands. The punishment will be carried out and obeyed."

The elephant responsible for the incident stepped forward. Instead of a repentant expression, it was just the opposite. "Or what? Are you going to make me do this?"

Danny slapped a clip into his rifle. "Try me." The elephant had heard what the weapon Danny held could do, and didn't want to end up on the business end of it. He backed away from Danny. Danny did not take kinded to someone not only back talking him and Simba, but challenging their authority as well.

He was laid back for the most part, but this was one of those times where he wouldn't let someone disrespect him. If he let them do that, it would spread to the other people and then he would lose all control of the people. He waved to the others. "Let this be an example to you all. I am generally laid back and a down-to-earth person, but I am by no means a pushover." He looked at the elephant commander. "If the tasks I have assigned you with are not followed, you will soon find yourself looking for a new home." His voice became rigid. "Do you understand me?"

The commander nodded. "Yes, Excellency. I'll see to it immediately." He turned to his people. "Alright, you heard him. Let's move out."

Danny and Simba relaxed. The elephants headed toward Rafiki's tree while the excommunicated one left the lands. He would have a hard time finding food and water, but he would live. The giraffe leader bowed his head low. "Thank you, your Majesties. We are humbled and most grateful for your help and discernment."

Simba returned the bow while Danny just nodded. "We're just trying to keep the peace, Gamba. If you need anything else, just let Zazu or Haraka know and they will come for us," Simba said.

"Of course." Gamba headed back to his people.

Danny was about to tell Simba that they should move on when he saw Mheetu running their way. As the sentinel got closer, Danny could tell Mheetu was about to cry or had been crying. He turned to Simba. "Hey, you tend to the injured giraffe…see how she's doing."

Simba frowned. "Yeah, sure. But where are you going?"

"To see what's the matter with Mheetu. I won't be long." Danny broke out in a sprint to catch up to Mheetu. The lion was slowing down to catch his breath and avoid overheating. Even though Danny was never going to be as fast as the lions, he could still give them a run for their money.

He closed to within twenty yards of Mheetu. "Hey, Mheetu!" At hearing this, the lion turned around to face Danny. Danny was relieved that Mheetu heard him, because he did not want to spend his time chasing him. "Hold up!"

Mheetu hid his face from Danny, trying to dry out the tears with his paw. He managed to keep his voice even. "You want to see me, sire?"

Danny closed the distance between them. "Please, Mheetu. Stop calling me 'sire' when it's just the two of us." He noticed Mheetu wouldn't turn to him. "No need to keep your back to me, though. I could see from a distance that you were about to cry or already have."

Mheetu was about to deny it, when he realized there was no point when it regarded Danny. He always seemed to have his finger on the pulse of a situation. The guardian gave a light laugh. "I didn't know it was _that _noticeable." He turned to face Danny.

Danny could see the pain in Mheetu's face, and he was not going to let it continue any longer. "What's been bugging you?"

He shook his head. "Nothing."

"No, don't give me the 'it's nothing' speech," Danny said with a rising tone. "I've been noticing this for a year and it has to stop now. Even some of the pride members have noticed." Danny waved at Mheetu as though he laid out items to sell. "I've never seen you like this before. You've been agitated, moody, and just downright miserable. Nobody just turns out this way, especially you."

He lowered his voice. "Mheetu, you are one of the most noble and honorable lions I know. To see you like this is almost unbelievable. If I hadn't seen it for myself, I'd never have believed it if someone else told me."

"It's nothing, okay?" Mheetu groaned. "Why is everybody giving me a hard time?"

Danny narrowed his eyes. "Because we care, and because we're concerned. I just wish you'd trust me enough to tell me!" He turned around to leave. He couldn't believe Mheetu would not tell him, but he wouldn't press any further.

Just as he was about to walk away, Mheetu said, "Not everyone in the pride cares and is concerned about me."

Danny stopped. Now, they were getting somewhere. But what did he mean by "not everybody"? The king turned around. "Who doesn't care about you? I'd like to hear this."

"I'd rather not say, Danny," Mheetu replied, not sure if he would get ridiculed some more by Shani for telling. Danny stood less than a foot away from him. He walked forward and shoved Mheetu with all of his might. Mheetu fell back and landed on his side. He quickly got up, his expression mixed with surprise, confusion, and anger. "What did you do that for?"

Danny set his weapon down. "Come on, hit me."

Mheetu backed up. "I'm not gonna hit you. You're the king."

Danny didn't stop. "I pushed you first. You can say it was self-defense. Now hit me!" He shoved Mheetu again. The lion wouldn't do anything, but his anger was slowly building. Danny started taunting him. "Come on, fuzz face. Don't you have any guts to take a shot at me? How are you gonna be a good sentinel to help guard the land from an enemy?"

"Danny, I…"

"Knock me to the ground, you gutless piece of crap. Show me that you can do your duty." The man shoved him again. "Come on, punk!" He gave another shove. "Hit me!"

That last shove was enough for Mheetu to lose control of his anger. In his rage, he tackled Danny to the ground. He landed to the ground with a thud as Mheetu landed his paws on top of his chest. Mheetu faced him with bared teeth and a loud growling. "That's enough."

Danny was surprisingly calm, despite the crushing weight of the lion. "Now how is it that you can tackle me, the king, to the ground, but you can't tell me what's bothering you? Is it that hard?"

Mheetu got off of him and sat down. He wore the most pitiful, dejected look anyone would ever have. "It's just…"

Danny sat up and held a hand up. "Mheetu, you're a sentinel. What's your duty?"

Mheetu looked as though he was being given a trick question. "To patrol the lands and repel enemy invaders."

"Correct. I'm the king. What's my duty?"

Mheetu didn't answer at first. He was thinking it over. "To…lead the people and make rulings over them and the land?"

Danny nodded. "In a manner of speaking. My duty is to take care of the people, especially my own pride. You guys are the first on my priority list. Being a king is being the greatest servant. I need to take care of those underneath me, and that includes problems they may have." He sighed. "Mheetu, I'm trying to help you not just because it's my duty, but mainly because I want to. I don't want to see you looking like this anymore, but if you don't tell me what's going on, I can only do so much. What's it gonna be?"

Mheetu knew he needed to tell. He was just worried that Shani would find out and keep going after him. But he knew Danny would take care of that. He would square both himself and her, and it would stop here. He closed his eyes. "Alright."

He took in a deep breath before speaking. "It started a little over a year ago. I accidentally knocked Shani over during a patrol. Before then, I had only seen her a few times and heard her name once or twice. But what I have seen, she seems to resent me and the other sentinels. She takes it out on me so much and I try to be polite, but she makes it so difficult. She's been doing this the whole time since then."

Mheetu fought back the tears. He did not want to cry in front of the king. "Today, she said life would be better for everyone if I went back to the Mountain Pride. Pretty much, it sounded almost as if I was nothing but a walking disease. I just don't understand how someone who fought against Scar would treat one of their own so badly."

Danny frowned. "So she makes fun of you and insults you? Is that what you're saying?"

The lion nodded. "Yes, and I just wish she would stop. I've asked her nicely but she refuses to do so."

Danny gave the lion a hug and brushed his mane. "Mheetu, I'm sorry this has happened to you. Let me explain some things about Shani."

He sat down on a rock. "Shani was born during Scar's reign. She, along with some others, spent their days as cubs under hardship. Scar was not the most loving king, you know."

"But that doesn't mean-"

Danny held up a hand. "Let me talk. She lost a close friend during those times. Her name was Geena. Since then, she has been somewhat isolated. When you and the others were returned from Jabari and Aren's care, she was informed of the situation. She was very upset that she and the younger ones weren't sent to safety while you and the others lived in peace. Shani felt it was unfair, especially with the loss of Geena."

Mheetu nodded. "I understand. It explains a lot." He frowned. "But it sounds like you're taking her side."

Danny laughed. "No, I'm not taking her side. In fact, I will be squaring her away." He reiterated his last statement. "And believe me when I say that, she will get an earful from me." He settled his voice. "I just you to get a better understanding of her, and why she does this. Rest assured, though, the berating will stop."

Mheetu smiled. "Thanks, Danny. I don't know how I can thank you for this."

The human shrugged. "Just continue to be yourself. All of you are the only family I got right now." He stood and grabbed his rifle. "I'll accompany you on a few patrols to make sure things go smoothly."

"Thank you," Mheetu began to leave. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have my duty to do."

As he walked away, Danny smiled at what he had done. He was able to let Mheetu tell him what was bothering him and found a solution. He only wished his father could've seen that. Coming close to 24-years-old, he was showing great signs of maturity. Only time would tell if it would show among the people.

Some rustling behind him made Danny whirl around. Standing there with proud smiles were Simba and Sarabi. Apparently, they were watching him talk with Mheetu, but he hadn't noticed them. Sarabi came up to him and nuzzled his face. "I'm proud of you, my son."

Simba held his paw out for a high-five. "Dad would be proud too."

Danny slapped his brother's paw. "I just hope this will help out Mheetu, because I can't stand seeing him like he was."

Sarabi looked up at the sky. "I think this is why Mufasa took you in. At first, I believed it was because of his compassion for others and the fact that you lost your family. Now, I believe he took you in because he somehow knew you were something special. I couldn't be more proud of you two."

The three enjoyed an embrace together before Danny and Simba returned for rounds.

* * *

The morning rounds were finished a lot sooner than normal. Both kings dealt with the situations at hand with little to no trouble. Mheetu had reported no trouble, though he thought he saw Zira enter the lands. But according to his guess and the survey cameras all throughout the land, they couldn't find any trace of her.

The lionesses were sitting up on Pride Rock just relaxing near the cave. They had already eaten their share, but wouldn't leave unless the kings had eaten. So all they could do was wait. Nala walked amongst the pride. She came up to Xolani, one of the older lionesses. "Good day, Xolani. How are you?"

She smiled. "Good, my queen, although I wonder where the kings are."

Nala sat down. "They'll be here. Their timetable is never set since each day has different situations. They have their job and we have ours."

"Very true, and I wonder how Danny does it? Everything he does, I mean."

Nala smiled sheepishly. "You're guess is as good as mine. He's able to fit everything into one day whereas we can't. I wonder if a human's normal life is busier than ours."

Ebere, who was nearby, came up next to them. "Compared to ours, it is." She sat down next to them. "How are you, my queen?"

Nala smiled at her. "Greetings, Ebere. I am very well." She scratched her claws along the dirt. "So how do you know what Danny's life was with his kind?"

Ebere took in a deep breath. "He once told me that a normal life for a person is waking up, eating food, and going to work most of the day. They stop for an hour to eat in the middle of the day, and then work until the sun has almost set. Then they go home and eat a third meal and spend time with family or entertain themselves."

Xolani stared as if she couldn't believe what her ears were hearing. "So humans work from morning until evening without taking a nap? It's a wonder he even wakes up before us."

"Well here, all he has to do is go do morning rounds, patrol the lands on his vehicle, and defend the land from invaders. That's not much of a workload where he comes from. This place is virtually free from the normal stress he would face back home," Ebere continued. "That's why he's able to go on hunts with us, spend time with the cubs, all the while searching for his family."

Nala was impressed. "I have to say, I give Danny a lot of credit for what he does. That takes amazing skill and organization."

Ebere nodded, but her expression was sober. "The only sad part about it is that he does it with no mate."

Xolani frowned. "What's wrong with Zainabu? They seem very close to each other."

Nala smiled weakly. "I think it's more complicated than that. Danny needs another human, a female. Do we have any here?" Her question was blended with some sarcasm.

"I see what you mean, Nala."

Ebere looked downcast. "That's so sad. He deserves a good mate. If only we could do something about it."

Indeed, all the lionesses would do something if they could. Danny had always been there, even during the hard times. If someone needed help, he was there. When one of them just needed someone to talk to, he would help. He had done so much for them, and showed them how much humans could be trusted. But they couldn't do anything about his lack of a life partner. Even though Danny never showed it, they were certain he felt alone.

It didn't look that way when Danny came up to greet them. "Hey, everyone. How's it going?"

They all bowed for him and Simba as they made their way into the center. Nala spoke. "Welcome home, my kings. We are doing great, but were wondering what kept you."

Simba smiled and nuzzled her. "We took our time." He turned to the lion who closely resembled him, save for the darker shade of fur, mane, and green eyes. "Tojo, Mheetu is taking your place on your shift. He wants to keep working, but you'll have to patrol in the evening."

Tojo gave a curt nod. "Sounds good."

Chumvi whined. "Geez, why doesn't Mheetu ever take my place?"

Tojo nuzzled Kula and licked her cheek. "Maybe you should get married. It might help you out."

The brown lion nuzzled Aziza. "Don't tempt me."

The others laughed as Danny now spoke. "My turn to speak. It's time for another field trip. I'm going to check on Jabari and Malka." He turned to one of the few lionesses with green eyes. "Zee, you're with me."

Her face brightened. "Really?" She looked dubious. "Not halfway this time?"

Danny grinned. "Nope, actually we're flying in my ship."

As if Zainabu's face wasn't excited enough, she was now ecstatic and acting like a cub. "We're flying!"

Danny tried to calm her down. "Yes, we are. Only this time, it shouldn't even take a day. We should be back by nightfall, if not dusk. Again, it's another diplomacy run, but hopefully I won't have any encounters again like the last time." He remembered the two transformer robots he had dealt with on his previous trip.

Nala looked serious and contemplative. "Is that all for today?"

Danny and Simba looked at each other and their smiles faded. "Yes, we want everyone to head down to the plains for a little while. Zainabu, you can head up to my ship. I'll be there in a moment."

Simba led the way. "Everyone, follow me. Someone get the carcass and bring it down so I can eat, please."

Two lionesses grabbed the prey they had captured and began dragging it down the slope. Zainabu headed up to the summit, where the ship was. Danny narrowed his eyes. "Shani, you can stay."

Some turned their heads around and knew that Shani was in trouble for some reason, and knew that Danny really meant "will" instead of "can". Shani gulped as she turned around to face him. She wasn't entirely sure what was going on, but the look on Danny's face told her she wasn't going to like it. She bowed low. "You want to talk to me, sire?"

"I do." His voice was now completely the opposite from his cheerful tone a moment ago, now replaced by an angered and flat one. "I am going to give you a chance to explain your actions." He wouldn't reveal what he had learned right away. He wanted to see if Shani would have some integrity.

She didn't. "I didn't know my actions needed an explanation. What are you talking about?"

Danny whipped out his pistol. For good measure, he flicked the safety off. She saw that too. "Last chance to show some integrity here."

Shani was sweating bullets now. Danny had never pulled out a weapon at one of the Pride Landers, so Danny was either insane or there was a serious issue on hand. "D-Danny, what are you-"

"You will address me as 'sire' right now." His iced tone now had an edge to it, one that was razor-sharp. He pulled the action lever back on the pistol.

It was clear to Shani that Danny wasn't playing around. She still had no clue to what actions he wanted to know. "Sire, I have no idea." She was on the verge of crying. "P-Please don't kill me. What did I do?"

Danny knew right then and there how much she had been doing this. She had been mocking and berating Mheetu for so long that she had gotten used to it, and was becoming such a routine that it was normal to her, and not something horrible. He would end that right now. "I'll give you a hint: Mheetu."

Finally, she realized what he was getting at. The lioness frowned. "You mean…"

"Yes, I'm talking about what you've been doing to Mheetu." Danny made a look of disgust. "I want to know why you've been harassing him for the past year." He paused. "And if what you say doesn't match up, your situation is going to get a whole lot more complicated." He showed the pistol in plain sight. He wasn't going to shoot her, but it always played a good part in getting the truth out of someone, even if it was a little crazy.

Shani was shaking, and tried to explain. "I-I resent him." Her shaking stopped as her anger began to come out. "I resent him, Tojo, Chumvi, and Kula for being sent away to live in a paradise of safety while Geena, Aziza, me, and the others were born and had to grow up in Scar's reign in a desolate wasteland. That's why I harass him."

She stepped forward, which took all of her courage given the pistol was still in Danny's hand. "We could've been sent to those lands and raised there until it was time to take back the land from Scar. If that happened, Geena would still be…" Shani trailed off, as tears began to stream down her cheeks at the loss of her close friend.

Danny put his pistol back on safe and holstered it. He wrapped her up in a hug. "I know how much it hurts to lose her. I miss her just as much, and blame myself for not getting there in time before the hyenas killed her." He pulled back and looked into her eyes. "But Scar planned to kill all male cubs, and I made the decision to save the male cubs from death. Ebere and Berhane wanted me to send Kula and Tama with them to be with their siblings."

Shani still wasn't pleased to hear this. "So why not us?"

"Because if we sent away all cubs, then we would have no younger generation to help us in the hunts. I know it wasn't fair, but neither was Scar killing his own brother and taking over." Danny was now growing irritated. He was trying to comfort her, but she still didn't seem to be having a change of heart. "What do you want me to do with Mheetu?" He stood.

She looked up at him. "W-What?"

"You want me to banish him? Take my taser and cook his insides?" He narrowed his eyes. "Or should I kill him because of the past? The past that he couldn't control? That _I _couldn't control?"

Shani was silent. Danny smiled, and not in a friendly manner. "That's it, isn't it? You think I should go punish those who had it easy while you had it rough. Well I got news for you: not everything is fair in this world. You lost a friend…" He jerked a thumb at his chest. "I lost my entire family. You don't see me taking my frustrations out on one of my pride members, and making fun of them."

"You need to suck it up. That is in the past, and we can't do anything about it. You need to ask Mheetu for forgiveness and you need to do it with a change of heart, not just because I told you to." Danny was now giving her a death glare. "If you don't, you'll show me just how much you resemble Scar. You will stop this berating against Mheetu and the other sentinels."

That really hurt her. It was what started to undo her. Being compared to Scar? No one wanted to hear that in these lands, especially those who had to endure his oppression for three years. Shani tried to maintain her composure. "How dare you compare me with a monster like Scar!"

Danny again brought out his pistol. "You wanna talk like that again to me? I'm not the type to pull rank or title on someone, but I can make exceptions." When she calmed down, he holstered his pistol once more. "I dare, because it's the truth. You won't forgive someone for something they had no control over. You will stop your bias with Mheetu and the sentinels…" He pointed at her. "…and if you don't, you can start getting acquainted with the term 'nomadic lioness.'"

As if he couldn't hurt her enough, the thought of being a nomad was even worse. Lionesses were worse off than lions on their own, because they were generally not accepted by other prides. Shani would have a hard time living without help to hunt down prey and having to defend herself against others without assistance. Some lionesses would rather take death than a nomadic lifestyle. She realized what her punishment would be. Shani, now with streaking tears in her eyes, bowed. "Yes, sire." She was definitely crying now.

"Good," he replied. "I want you to think long and hard about this. It's something you need to take time to realize what you are doing." He turned. "And if I hear or catch you making fun of Mheetu for having me stand up for him, you'll be out of here sooner than you think. I asked him, and he told. He never came to me…that's for the record. Now get out of my sight."

She turned and left, leaving him alone.

Danny began walking up to the summit. He knew things could've gone better than what just happened, but Shani needed to learn that disrespect and lack of integrity would not be tolerated. He only hoped Shani would have a change of heart and ask Mheetu for forgiveness. Otherwise, things would be very high-strung in the pride.

The only thing he felt guilty about was using the pistol to get his point across. It did help improve integrity in some cases, but it did not change someone's heart. _I could've been a little more gentle, but sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures. _

He reached the top where Zainabu was waiting for him. The ramp was already descended so he wouldn't have to wait. That was good, because Danny wanted to reach Jabari and his pride ASAP. Zainabu walked to him. "I was beginning to wonder if you were coming at all."

Her sarcasm was exactly what he needed to get his mind off of the incident with Shani. "Well, you know, I was gonna let you try your luck at flying the ship. That way you can take care of my duties for me."

"Yeah, right." She sighed with exasperation. "Males, always lazy at heart and leave the females to do the work for them."

"Hey, you females got enough drama as it is. Don't add any more, alright?" Danny said, matching her riposte. He walked up the ramp and headed for the cockpit. He sat down in the pilot's seat and began a pre-flight check.

Zainabu looked all around. "Wow. I've never been in the air before. I've always wondered what it's like to see things from a bird's view."

Danny powered up the ship. "Well, I'll take your opinion to see if lion's could stand the flight or if they belong on the ground, period. Jabari and his group didn't complain a couple years ago. We'll see how you do." He strapped himself in and the ship began hovering. He grinned. "Zee, I suggest you hold on to something."

He gunned the engines and kicked the ship forward in sharp lurch. Zainabu slid backwards and hit the bulkhead behind her. She growled as she got up. "You jackass!" She steadied herself and crept toward him. "When this is over, you're going to pay for this."

Danny laughed as he turned the ship in the direction of Jabari's territory. "Do your worst, Zee."

* * *

Simba walked down to the plains with the rest of the pride. They would not like being around Danny when he went off on Shani, so the two kings planned this and moved the pride away from Pride Rock so Danny could deal with her in private. It wouldn't be pretty, but it would be what she needed to hear.

Kiara and the cubs went over to the tetherball to play with it. Simba was just amazed that the pole and ball were still standing after all these years. It was soon becoming the trademark spot for the pride's home. Simba sat down and ate his food. Occasionally, he would look up and watch his daughter play with the ball along with the others.

Nala came up next to him and licked her mate. "It's nice to see our daughter growing up like this."

Simba smiled. "A lot better than we did."

His mate gave him a sarcastic look. "This coming from Mr. Hakuna Matata?"

"Hey, I had a childhood. I might as well live through it."

"Very true, even if you didn't have a typical one."

Simba's eyebrows rose. "Didn't we all?"

Nala gave him that. "Good point." Then she thought about what Danny wanted to talk to Shani about, and wanted to know. "Simba, what's with Danny wanting to talk to Shani alone. He sounded upset when he told us to go down into the fields."

Simba hesitated. He wasn't sure if this would be a good idea to tell until after everything was taken care of. Nala caught the hesitation. "If it's a 'none of my business' issue, then that's alright. I won't press the matter."

He shook his head. "No, it's just that…" He took in a deep breath. "You know how Mheetu has not really been himself over the last year?"

"Yes," she replied. Her eyebrows rose. "Are you saying that Shani was behind that?"

"That's exactly what I am saying." He looked down at the ground. "She felt it was unfair that Mheetu and the other sentinels lived their lives in paradise while she went through hardship. Shani had been berating him brutally for over a year and it has slowly been eating away at him."

Nala shook her head and frowned. "I understand how Shani feels, but still, that is no excuse to hurt Mheetu like that. He never did anything to her."

Simba didn't know what else to say about the topic. "Well, Danny is talking to her right now."

Nala winced. "Ouch. I wouldn't want to be there to witness that. Danny may be one of the most caring people I've ever known, but he can be can be one of the biggest disciplinarians to date."

They kept watching the cubs for some time before they heard crying from the slope. Everyone turned to see Shani running past them, crying her eyes out. The others rose as she ran away for the lands in the distance. Whatever Danny had said, it was enough to make her break down. Nobody stopped her, but some turned to head after her.

Simba stopped them. "No, nobody follow her."

Aziza faced him. "But, sire…"

"She made some bad choices over the past year. Now, she must live with them." Everyone obeyed and did not follow her. They just wondered what it was she did.

* * *

Shani ran to the edge of the lands. She wouldn't leave, but she needed time alone to herself. Danny had torn her emotionally by what he said. Comparing her to Scar and threatening to banish her from the lands just made her feel horrible and empty. She had always looked up to Danny, and to see him cut into her like that made her feel worthless.

Some anger tore through her. _How could he say I'm like Scar? And Mheetu? Why do I need his forgiveness? I was the one being treated unfairly for nearly three years, not him._

Shani ran past a few pillars of rock, and headed for her destination: a small channel of water where she would come for some private time and remembrance of her friend. Losing Geena had hurt, and while Danny tried to comfort her, he resumed the punishment talk soon after. _Why would he do that?_

As she came closer to her private place, Shani realized she was being a brat. She was acting petty for not having the same treatment Mheetu lived in, and had forgotten that Danny had gone through far worse. She still had her family, her life. Outside of here, Danny's life was in shambles. Yet he was standing tall and not letting it bother him.

Shani was crying so much she could barely think at this point. Now, she was out of earshot from the pride. Even if she roared, they wouldn't hear her. When she reached an area of land by the channel of water, she began to walk. The young lioness stopped next to the channel, drinking some water and laid down to think things over.

Shani contemplated what Danny said. He was right, and what she had done to Mheetu was more than just uncalled for. It was downright cruel. Mheetu hadn't done anything to her, and she was being immature about how great his situation was. Deep down, she would have to find the nerve to go up to Mheetu and apologize to him.

She wasn't all for the idea, but she knew it was the right thing to do. The only thing that had to be done was to find Mheetu, but he was taking Tojo's shift on patrol. She couldn't blame him. If she were in his position, she would avoid her too after the past year.

Shani started to leave when something felt weird. She felt as though her whole sight of the area had suddenly shifted. Then she realized that she had stepped on a patch of unsupported ground. The lioness fell through the dirt and landed in a hole about ten feet high and ten feet in diameter.

She landed on the ground with a _thud._ The wind was knocked out of her as her stomach took the most of the damage. But that was just half of her problems. A huge rock broke out from the impact of the her landing, and landed on top of her rear left leg. Shani roared in pain, and tried to pull herself free but to no avail. She was going nowhere quick and would need some help.

She looked around to see that the whole was basically one, huge bowl. "Can anyone hear me?"

"Oh, I can hear you just fine." That wasn't a voice she had heard in a long time. It was someone she'd least expect to answer. Nuka looked over the hole with a smile. "Amazing, isn't it? You spring the trap…and I close it."

Shani coughed. "You did this?"

Nuka smiled. "Of course. It took forever, but way worth it, apparently. Mother and I had been keeping watch over all of you, studying your behaviors, habits, and tendencies." He began to walk around the hole. "After a while, we had noticed you kept going to a consistent place: right here. That's when we started to build this trap." He laughed. "It's a shame that you didn't notice anything different over the months. I guess curiosity just claimed another cat to its list."

"Still a mama's boy, I see," she scoffed. "Why are you doing this?"

"Simple: cause as much damage as possible to Simba and Danny. Once you Pride Landers have been chipped away at long enough, victory will be ours." He began clawing away at a section of earth next to the hole. Soon, Shani could feel a cold, wet trickle landing on her. "You see, with that rock on your leg, you won't be going anywhere." He took a huge chunk out of the ground, with more water coming down. "The water that will fill up the hole, will make sure you stay here permanently."

Shani then realized his intent was to drown her. Fear for her life flooded her body. Nuka took one, last swipe at the side of the hole and water began filling up the hole. He grinned evilly. "It's been nice knowin' you. Au revoir!"

Shani tried fighting to get out of the hole, but the rock was too heavy and her leg was in great pain. She roared and then screamed for help. "Someone help me! I'm inside, I'm inside." The water began filling up the place faster. She kept her head as high up as possible. Her cries were those of a little girl. The water was now nearing the top of her paws. She barely managed to choke out. "Someone…please…help me."

She made Mheetu feel like trash, Danny had chewed her out for it, and now was going to drown in a hole filled with water from the channel.

Dying alone was bad enough, but after everything she had done, she wouldn't blame anyone if they didn't help her, especially Danny and Mheetu. What was worse, no one would be able to hear her scream before she drowned.

At this point, nothing could get any worse for her. The only thing she could do was cry and hope her death would be quick.


	9. Out with the Bad, In with the Good

Danny sat in the cockpit to set the navigations systems for Jabari's kingdom. It would take an hour before he would get there at the speed the _**Preliator** _was going at. If he wanted to go fast and furious with the speed, he could make it in fifteen minutes at maximum power. He had some things to think about, and wanted to just relax and have a decent conversation in the past. True, they had times where they could talk, but no quality conversations.

Now was the perfect time. No duty, no stress, just time to kill off. Danny set the ship for auto-pilot and headed in the back where Zainabu was waiting. He found her laying down on the bed that was built into the ship. Danny had slept in it when he was injured or wanted to sleep alone. It was very soft, and Zainabu definitely seemed to be enjoying it.

Danny sprawled out on the bench next to it. "Enjoying my bed there, Zee?"

She smiled. "Yes. I can see why you don't wake up as early as you do in the den."

The man stretched out his arms, before leaning back against the bench's rail for support. "Yeah, it gets the job done." He yawned. "But right now, I'm just glad we got some time to ourselves."

Zainabu nodded. "I hear that. It feels like we never have time to have a decent conversation, and when we do, something comes up." She sighed. "You almost wonder if things are never meant to be."

Danny's smile faded. "I wonder the same, and hope it's not." He realized that while the two of them could finally have a conversation, this particular one might have a sour ending. "How's everything going with the hunting?"

She shrugged. "It's going well. I mean, we catch our prey and teach the cubs on hunting. To tell you the truth, things actually have gotten better without Zira around."

It was true about that. While Zira and her clan were still in the Pride Lands, the pride was definitely bothered by their presence. The lioness' mindsets were not totally focused on hunts, and it showed when they had repeated failed attempts when they had begun rebuilding the lands. Prey had gotten away, and sometimes they were so tired that Danny would go out and hunt for the pride. Some of the lioness' felt bad for their king having to go out to hunt for them, but he didn't mind. In fact, Danny felt that as king, he should also provide for his pride in any way he could. This very facet of Danny earned him the utmost respect among his pride.

Danny nodded. "Yeah, life without Zira can be pretty amazing, even surreal at times. But we still have to keep watch on her. She may be banished, but she still poses a possible threat." He thought of the lack of activity from the Outsiders. "I just wonder what's going on with them, particularly Vitani and Kovu."

"Well, why should they pose a threat if we haven't heard from them?"

Danny's head came up, as if her answer surprised him. "There's a saying I heard from my father: The enemy you have to worry about the most is the one that is the most quiet. The more quiet an enemy is, the harder it is to anticipate their moves. We have to be on watch for Zira. Ever since Haraka and I went in on that deep recon awhile back, they've been on the down-low since."

"Down-low?" Zainabu asked, not understanding the term.

Danny once again had to explain human slang. "It means they've been quiet." That was another thing that he was dealing with. Being out of contact with humans for over five years had a serious effect over him. He had to explain certain things, sometimes the same thing over and over.

He had been with animals for so long, and it was a wonder he didn't try to roar instead of talk. More to the point, if it wasn't for him being able to talk to animals, Danny would've either gone insane or would've moved on to find his family. With less and less places to look for his family, he was feeling more and more certain that his family was truly gone. If they were anywhere in Africa, which was what Zazu had confirmed to him long ago, they had to have either found help or lived Survivor-style.

But that brought up another problem. Danny, if he found nothing, then he would either stay or head home. Most of him was leaning toward leaving. He missed his lifestyle back home, even if it was starting from the ground up. But the biggest issue was that he had no wife. Even though he was used to being single during his teenage years, he was really wishing he had a significant other. He saw Simba and Nala enjoying each other, as well as Tojo and Kula. What's worse, he was jealous of them. He couldn't enjoy the love and intimate moments they had. He felt alone, and he coveted that part of life they could enjoy.

Zainabu noticed the empty look on his face and tried to get his mind off of whatever he was thinking. "Hey, how's the morning rounds?"

Danny gave her a lopsided smile. "Another day, another problem. Sometimes the people have some petty arguments and I don't understand why Simba and I get involved in some of these. Other than that, it gets boring after awhile. I only have a decent time when Simba or Haraka are around."

The lioness licked her paw, cleaning it for a few moments. Her ears were perked up, indicating she was listening. "Well, what would you think about having some company?"

He was not expecting that. "To be honest, I haven't given that much thought. You saying you wanna come with me?"

Her emerald eyes sparkled. "I'd love it if I could go with you. That way, we can talk during the mornings. I'm sure Nala wouldn't mind if I left the hunting party to be with you."

Danny smiled. Zainabu was the one who truly made him feel happy. She was always someone to talk with, have fun with, but most important of all, she gave Danny all the support he needed when things were bleak and discouraging. That meant a lot to him and her idea of going with him would definitely make him feel better. "I would like that a lot, Zee. It would give me something to look forward to in the mornings. Especially someone like you."

She stared at him for a few moments. Zainabu definitely had feelings for him, and she sometimes gave flirtatious hints at times. But she would also crack jokes that she learned from him to make things interesting. "And what kind of _someone _am I?"

Danny knew this would be both good and bad. He would have to say this in the best possible way. "The closest person to me, aside from Sarabi and Simba." He got and knelt next to the bed. He petted her head. "Zee, you're are my special someone. You always will have a special place in my heart. To have you with me on morning rounds will always make my day."

Hearing this made her heart rate quicken. She couldn't hold back the loving smile she only reserved for Danny. "I feel the same way. Being with you always makes my day a good one. Do you know how much you mean to me?"

Danny gave her a subtle smirk. "I have a fairly good idea."

"I wouldn't trade you for the world. It would never be enough to replace you."

"That's about what I surmised. I care about you all the same." He scratched behind her ears lightly. "Zee, do you know how much you mean to me?"

Her playful smile was infectious. "How much?"

"If it came down to it, I would put my life on the line for you." He couldn't believe he was able to even say that properly, let alone at all. "That's how much I care for you. A lot of things will change over the years, but that never will." Those were strong words, but that was how Danny was. He never was one to be a sweet-talker, but rather showed his love through actions.

Zainabu knew that from personal experience. He had risked his life to save hers from Zira, so when he would say something like this, she knew he would back up his words. She leaned forward and licked his cheek. "I care for you too, and I know you would do that for me." Hearing this from him made her feel happy beyond all measure; all bad issues she had seemed gone forever when Danny said what he said.

Danny wrapped his arms around her in an embrace. He was glad this could end on a positive note, but one gray cloud still hung over his head. If he did end up leaving, what would he say to her? It wouldn't matter he said. She would be heartbroken, and might never forgive him. He only wondered when that time would come. But that was for another time. For now, he wanted to enjoy this moment with her.

The moment managed to last for five minutes before an small beeping caught his attention. The computer's robotic tone came over the intercom. _"Alert. Ship approaching designated coordinates. Five minute warning mark reach. Be advised, unlock manual helm for touchdown landing."_

Zainabu sighed. "Even when we have time to ourselves, it doesn't last forever."

Danny got up. "At least this time, we had it to ourselves for a good amount." He opened the door to the cockpit. "Better strap in and cover your ears. I want to listen to some rap music coming in, and it can get loud."

She rolled her eyes. "I think I realized that when we took off."

****

The small channel was music to Mheetu's ears. In the quietest times, he took some moments to relax and listen in to the sounds of nature. It helped calm some nerves, especially on patrol. It also served as an important tool. He had heard an approaching stranger from the borders a long ways off when he had focused in to relax and listen. Aside from being a tool, it was a great joy to him.

Unfortunately, the last year had given him fewer and fewer joys, and much of that was attributed to Shani. She had pestered him for so long, he wondered why she couldn't just leave him alone. Was it that big of a deal to her that she had to take out her frustrations and anger against him? Personally, she would've been a great weapon to use against Scar. Shani had definitely vented against the hyenas that fateful night, and a lot of the scavengers either ran away badly injured or ended up dead because of her. But apparently, that wasn't enough to make her feel satisfied.

That was something Aren had taught him long ago. Vengeance was more hollowing than it was satisfying. It left one with despair and sadness. Some would slip into a long depression, others would run away from it to continue on to horrible acts that would eat away at them until there was nothing left. Zira could learn from something like that, but vengeance coupled with hatred made for a blinding combination.

The biggest thing someone could do to someone who hurt them was to forgive them. Aren as well as Danny preached that fighting will never change a person. It just makes them hide their true feelings. Only love would change someone, that would have a chance at making a person see things from a different perspective. The trick to that was patience. Sometimes, it could only take a few times, but most of the time it would take longer than that.

Mheetu wanted to know what it would take to change Shani, but knew it could be done somehow. He stopped at the channel to drink some water. He would need the refreshing drink to keep going. He had taken Tojo's shift to avoid encountering Shani, and hoped it would stay that way. As he lifted his head, his ears perked up and he turned to look upstream.

"…help…"

He frowned. He wasn't certain what he heard, but it definitely was someone. "What was that?"

Mheetu listened in closely. He focused and tuned in his hearing. He initially could only hear the sound of the water channel. But as he concentrated more, he could hear that something clearly. "…somebody help me…"

His eyes widened as the voice was female, and she was in need of help. It was still to distant to recognize who it was, but she was upstream a good distance, probably 100-150 yards away. Mheetu ran with all he had to get to the female who needed help. All he hoped was that he wouldn't be too late.

****

Simba had been watching the cubs play for quite some time. As nice as it was to watch them wrestle with each other and play around the tether pole, it got boring after awhile. Laying down did nothing to stave off the boredom, and was thinking about joining the pride for a catnap. Just as his eyes began fluttering, a paw nudged him back to full consciousness. He looked up.

Nala looked down at him with her sparkling blue eyes. "Would you like to go for a walk?"

Simba smiled. "Sure, I could use the exercise." He stretched his forelegs out and arched his back before going off with her.

They walked down toward the central lands. Simba and Nala had places they preferred to avoid. The gorge was for obvious reasons, and Danny kept watch there. The waterfall and river reminded them too much of Tanabi, and they would only go there out of respect for the cub they had lost two years before.

So they headed for a brook that ran along the tree-line in front of Pride Rock. It was quiet during the day, and the two would take the opportunity to have some "alone" time. Nala glanced at her mate. "How are you feeling?"

"Abuzz with all sorts of thoughts going on in my head. From the cubs to Shani and Mheetu to Zira, and on and on." He sighed. "It just doesn't seem to get any better. I just need a break from everything. Some time to relax and enjoy myself with you and Kiara."

Nala pondered this. "It could work. I mean, with Danny you could take some time off and he could take care of things while you rest."

"I just don't wanna leave him with too much." He almost fell over when Nala nudged him. He wasn't expecting it, but regained his balance. "What was that for?"

"The fact that you need to realize what you're saying. Normally, a kingdom has one king. A king is meant to carry the entire burden, and you two get off by each other. You're supposed to be able to handle things on your own. That's why I nudged you." She shrugged. "Sometimes you, yourself, need some sense knocked into you."

"You're not the first person to do that," Simba replied, remembering all too well how Rafiki knocked some sense into him with his walking stick.

But she was right. A king was meant to carry the majority of the burden, and the queen would offer some insight on hard or important decisions. The queen would also give support to the king when stress became too much to bear, because even a king would have a bad day. Aside from that, a king had to face the issues of the kingdom himself, and while others could offer insight, the king was the one who dropped the hammer on cases.

Simba consented. "I guess you're right, but right now I could use something to relieve my stress a little bit. Something joyful for a change would be preferable."

Nala smiled seductively. "That's why I brought you out here."

This caught Simba's attention. He was now looking at her with utmost interest. He definitely was relieved and elated to hear her answer. But that was the only thing bothering him now. With excitement and curiosity, he asked, "What's why you brought me out here?"

Nala took a while to answer. Simba noticed she was trembling but she was, in no way, scared or nervous. Whatever it was, it was a very important piece of good news. Finally, she said the greatest news he could ever hear. "I'm pregnant again."

Simba felt his heart leap into his throat. Had he just heard his mate right? She just told him he was going to have another cub or litter of cubs. He couldn't believe it. This was way too good to be true, and his shocked expression told Nala that. _I'm going to have another child? This is amazing._ He let out the breath he didn't even know he was holding. "That's…that's wonderful."

Suddenly, he started bounding up and down and rolling around on the ground, acting like the cub Nala remembered all those years ago. Simba was full of joy, and Nala's eyes welled up with tears at seeing her mate's jubilance. She was hoping this would be his reaction, and it brought her tears of joy at seeing how much Simba desired to be a good father. Nala began to laugh as he joyfully jumped into the water and swam around. He was one of the few lions to enjoy swimming, and in this case, it was especially humorous. He came out and shook the water out of his fur, causing his mane to look poofy.

Simba ran up and nuzzled her with great affection. "Oh, this is so great. I love you so much."

Nala brushed the side of her face along his soft mane. "I love you too. I'm so excited to have another cub."

"When were you certain you were pregnant?"

Nala giggled. "After a few moody moments the last couple of hunts and motherly intuition."

Simba shook his head. This was one of those moments he needed so badly, and this couldn't have been any better. To hear that he would be a father to another cub, or possibly and entire litter, was the best news he could hear. The joy in him was barely even containable as evidenced by his joy. The pride would be glad to hear that the queen was once again pregnant. Danny would have another cub to play around with, and depending on the gender, would be trained by Sarabi and Nala for hunting or by Tojo for sentinel training. The blessing for the future royal line was now with Kiara, since she was the oldest.

Simba broke away from her. "When do you want to announce this to the pride?"

Her face went slack, meaning she was thinking hard. "Sarabi already knows, but she wouldn't tell unless I said so. I want to wait until Danny and Zainabu get back. They said they would be back by evening, if not afternoon."

Simba's smiled faded a bit. "Sounds like a plan." If there was only something he could do to help Danny out for finding a mate. Maybe if he sent a lioness out to go…no, no that wouldn't work. Danny was the only human who could communicate, so sending a message to another human by lioness would probably end badly. The pride learned from Danny that humans could be trusted. Problem was, the trust was probably not mutual.

Nala noticed his look. "Everything okay?"

"It's just…nothing." He grew closer to her. "This is a happy moment for me. One of the happiest moment of my life."

****

Mheetu ran with everything he had in him. Whoever was making a cry for help sounded distraught, to say the least. It was never part of a sentinel's job description, but helping others was the foundational supports of the pride. Of course, if he didn't make it to the source of the cry, it wouldn't matter what was the foundations. He knew what he had to do. Running up the river, the cries became louder and louder. They also were becoming more gurgled, meaning the female was either drowning or growing weak.

Mheetu looked up ahead to see a huge hole shaped like a bowl alongside the channel of water. That must've been the source of the cry. Without hesitation, he ran to the edge to investigate. Water had begun to fill up in the hole, and it had risen a great deal. He also noticed claws marks surrounding the edges along the channel leading into the hole. _Someone had set this up somehow. _

He looked down and his jaw nearly dropped in shock. Almost completely submerged in the water was none other than Shani, the lioness who had harassed him for over a year. He could see a rock trapping her hind leg, which would explain why she couldn't get out. The water was about to lift over her face, leaving her to drown soon after. He could definitely hear her crying in spite of the loud noise of the water falling into the hole.

Part of him wanted to leave and let her drown for all the misery she had inflicted upon him. Without her around, his life would be so much easier and life would be like it was before she started coming down on him. But Mheetu thought of one thing. _Can I live with myself if I willingly let her die? _It would go against everything he believed in. Whether he hated her or not, he would still do the right thing. She may have been a pain, but she was a lot better than someone like Zira.

Mheetu shook his head. "No, no I can't let her die." He jumped into the hole, splashing into the water. As with most lions, he was scared of the water. But his strong sense of duty drove him over his fears.

The water had now engulfed Shani completely, and she was holding on to what breath she had left. Mheetu swam underwater, and began to push against the rock. It was heavy, and he had to apply all of his muscles to move it. Unfortunately, time was against him. Even underwater, he could see Shani was beginning to lose her senses. He had minutes---no, seconds to save her.

Mheetu dug his hind feet into the ground, claws unsheathed. With one last great effort, Mheetu managed to push the rock off of Shani's leg. Mheetu swam up to get a few quick breaths of air. If he drowned, he would be little good to anybody. He wasted little time in swimming back down to reach Shani, who was fighting to stay alive.

She was free, but her senses were so far gone that her body refused to obey any commands. Her vision began blackening, but Mheetu grabbed her by the scruff and dragged her back up to the surface. He used the angle of the hole to climb up, dragging Shani all the way. He was soon near the top when Mheetu's muscles began burning from exhaustion and even hyperextension. He would definitely need some rest and recovery.

Mheetu reached the top and dragged Shani a safe distance from the waterhole. As soon as that was done, he plopped to the ground. "As Danny likes to say, 'I'm not paid enough for this.'"

Shani, meanwhile, was beginning to feel her consciousness return. Her blackened vision turned into pure white light. Very weakly, she asked, "Am I dead?"

The vision began to fade back to the Pride Lands. It was all a bright hue, but soon returned to the normal color of her vision. To her side, she heard an exhausted voice. "Far from it." _That voice…_ It was familiar, but from the wooziness she still felt, her brain couldn't put two and two together. She turned to see a bright-furred lion looking at her. "Welcome back to the land of the living."

Shani couldn't believe it. Her rescuer was none other than Mheetu. She tried to make sense of it but couldn't. If she were in his position, she would've left herself to die. "Why did you save me? After everything I've done to you…"

Mheetu stood, but he winced in pain. He was certain he had hyper extended his left foreleg somehow, and would need to take some time off to recover. Nevertheless, he would finish his shift. "I saved you for two reasons. One, it was my duty as a sentinel to help those in need…even you."

Shani looked at him curiously. "And the second?"

His eyes locked with hers. "Because you are _not _my enemy. Zira and the Outsiders, as well as other rogues, are my enemy. I assist my allies and defend them from the enemy." She was about to speak, but he cut her off. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a job to do. Do not let me catch you following me while I'm on shift. I've had enough of your haranguing for a lifetime." Without waiting for anymore talk, he began limping away as fast as he could.

Shani, who was crying from being so close to death and from being chewed out by Danny earlier, felt lower than low. Guilt flooded her entire being, and she just wanted to die right then and there. The lion who she had done nothing but drain the life out of him, had come to her rescue. She wanted to thank him, but because of what she had done to him, the only thing he wanted from her was to stay away.

Shani realized why Danny had threatened her and chewed her out. She had been downright horrible to Mheetu, and he never did anything to her. She buried her face in the sand and sobbed once more.

Through the sobs, she choked out, "Oh, God. What have I done? What have I done?" Shani continued crying, praying for only one thing. "Oh, Lord. Please let Mheetu forgive me. Please…"

****

Danny crawled as silently as he could through the tall grass. With no padded paws to keep his approach stealthy, he had to death-crawl his way, using only his feet and hands. If he used his knees, it might make enough noise to compromise himself and the others with him. He kept his M4 rifle slung on his back because he couldn't death-crawl through the grass with the rifle in his hands, and even if he did, it would make too much noise.

Danny and Zainabu had landed and met Queen Alijiah just before they were about to leave for their hunt. Jabari was out on his rounds so he wouldn't be back for a while. They decided to tag along with the queen and her hunting party for the day. They had located and killed a lone warthog, but that was not enough to feed the entire pride.

Danny offered his services and decided to show them how he hunted for his prey. They spotted a herd of impalas in an open field near the beach, with a tree-line behind it. Most of the lionesses sat by the tree-line, watching him do it his way. Zainabu, Alijiah, and her daughter Kashore were the only ones to remain with him.

Kashore, from what Alijiah said, was definitely living up to her name. She was a joker from the very beginning, and cracked jokes on others like it was normality. Kashore was also the culprit of many pranks, most of them harmless, but a few required talks and punishments. Still, she was kind at heart and showed it when she was not joking around.

Danny crept up to a close enough spot. Zainabu had separated to close the back door, so to speak. If things went wrong, which usually didn't, she would jump out and take down one of the impalas. Danny whispered to Kashore. "Alright, I'm close enough where things shouldn't go wrong." He slowly pulled his rifle off of his shoulder. "I'm going to use this, my rifle, to kill an impala. It's real simple: I aim, I pull the trigger, bullet shoots out, bullet kills animal. That's it."

Kashore smirked, not totally impressed. "It looks nothing more than a twisted stick, and you can kill one of the impalas? I have to see this."

"Just bring your head up slowly and don't jump. I've already had one close encounter with a herd charging at me, and that's one too many." He was referring to when Kiara had compromised the hunt and sent the herd of antelope toward them.

Kashore shrugged. "Whatever, I'll be careful."

"Famous last words," Danny said. He was starting to get up. "I'd cover your ears if I were you."

"May ears can take it. C'mon, I wanna see this."

Danny shook his head and slowly got up. He brought his rifle up to bear very slowly, making sure he didn't alert the herd with any sudden movements. He aimed his iron sights on the largest antelope. Taking in deep breaths, he held his breath as he began to exhale. With his sights centered on his target, he slowly squeezed the trigger.

A loud boom echoed through the field, causing the flocks of birds in the trees and shore to fly off. The sound was deafening to those who were close by. That is, all but the largest antelope. It couldn't hear because it was now another claim to Danny's M4. The herd took off down the shoreline, avoiding Zainabu. She knew they had a kill, so she didn't pursue them.

Danny looked down at Kashore. She was now clutching her ears and slowly moving around. He smiled. "Sure your ears can take it?" He and Alijiah laughed. The young lioness thought she could take it, just like Simba when he was younger. But like him, she couldn't take the loud noise that reverberated in her ears. He leaned down at her. "How you feelin?"

She glared at him. "I feel like I just got my bell rung. How do you think I feel?"

He shrugged. "Don't say I didn't warn you. I told you to cover your ears."

The rest of the pride came out from the tree-line, each and every one of them amazed by what they had just seen. Only the senior lionesses knew of Danny's capabilities---namely his weapons. During their prison break from Dasyu years ago, he had used a shotgun to free them and take down a handful of guards. The younger ones, on the other hand, knew only the stories their older counterparts told them during their cub hood. Danny could hear the chatter.

"That was amazing!"

"So that's what that…rifle…can do."

"I told you what those things could do," that came from an older lioness.

"But what if it's used against us!?" That was from a young lioness. She was definitely an adult, but barely. Everyone turned to her. "What if that weapon has the same effect if it's turned on us? I'm not too young to remember what happened to years ago?"

Danny turned to face the lioness. "Well, I'm not going to use it against you unless you were about to attack me."

"Well, what if you turned to evil and I was trying to stop you. Does that make your statement any more comforting?"

Zainabu stepped in front of her. "I can't believe you would even think that Danny-"

"It's alright, Zee," Danny interjected. "I understand where she's coming from. It's because of these weapons that so many species are becoming endangered ones. I know a few species relative to lions are extinct because of a human's weapons."

Alijiah intervened. "But because of you, we can learn to trust humans."

"That's because I can actually talk to you. I still can't figure out how I can do that, but it's helped bridge a gap between our two species." He hung his head, but lifted his weapon. "It's because of a lack of communication that we use _these_ to do the communicating for us. If we could develop a way or device to talk to lions, then I think things would be much different."

He looked to the lioness that started the discussion. "Case in point, I understand your concern. It's who controls these weapons that decides whether to use them on you or not." He slung his weapon around on his back. "If the older members of the pride trust me, can't you? After all, I used these weapons to save your lives a couple years ago."

She didn't move nor change her expression for a moment. Then she nodded. "I guess I can. I'd just feel better if we didn't have any weapons near us."

Danny chuckled. "You're not the only one. It's the reason why I don't feel…" He realized what he was about to say. "…never mind." The last thing he wanted to do was scare the life out of this pride again. They had enough from their captivity in Dasyu's mountain fortress. He felt uneasy because of other beings carrying weapons and possibly being near the region, and revealing his feelings would only complicate things. He stood. "Alright, let's bring this carcass back and enjoy the meal."

The pride began hauling the carcass back to the beach. Danny, Zainabu, and Alijiah led the party back. Danny needed some answers for certain things. But he wanted it between only a few of the pride. He wanted some answers for not having a messenger the last two years. So getting it from Alijiah would help out.

He waved to Zainabu. "Hey, could you hang a little bit? I just want to talk to Alijiah in private."

Zainabu nodded. "That's fine. I'll see if I can strike up a conversation with the others."

She fell back, leaving Danny and Alijiah alone in front of the pride. They definitely had some issues to discuss, and Danny started the conversation. "I need to ask you something."

"Ask away."

"First off," he lowered his voice to avoid anyone hearing. "Why hasn't Jabari sent a messenger to me so I can check up to give me a report? I wanted to make sure that everything was good, and I started getting the impression that something terrible happened to all of you."

Alijiah gave a sarcastic look, a rare expression coming from her. "Is it that important?"

The edge in Danny's voice became apparent. "Do you need to ask? Look, I just want a simple answer. Why hasn't he sent me a messenger? Even if he sent one just once, I would be feeling a lot better."

"You're not going to like this, Danny." She sighed. "It's because Jabari is having memory problems. He's getting older, Danny, like I am. As each day passes, the more his memory deteriorates. I give it a year or two before Jabari passes on from this world. I'll probably go soon after. That's why he's spending more and more time with his sons and less with the rest of us. He's preparing them to lead the pride, particularly Amiri since he's the oldest. Tupoc will be trained in case something happens to his brother."

This all took Danny by surprise. He had forgotten about the fact that lions had a shorter lifespan than humans. "Oh…I guess I hadn't taken that to mind. That would make sense, being forgetful about a lesser priority and focusing on the big one." He kicked the dirt, creating a dust cloud. "I hate this."

"What?"

"The fact that Jabari is reaching the end of his life. I know it's going to happen, but I just don't wanna accept it. That's all." Danny sighed sadly. "Humans have a longer lifespan than lions. In my situation, it's my blessing as well as my curse. I will meet many new lions and lionesses, that's the good thing. But I'm going to see them come and go before my own eyes, outliving multiple generations."

He was silent for a moment. Alijiah nudged her head against his hand. "Are you okay?"

The look on his face was the total opposite. "I'd be lying if I said yes. It just seems like everyone I'm close to is taken away from me. Mufasa…my family…and soon to be you and Jabari. I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to continue to bear that." He looked behind him to make sure Zainabu wasn't listening. "I may just leave for good."

"Where would you go?"

His brown eyes bore into her heart. "That's a good question. I'm not sure where to go. My family has been missing for years, what few friends I had before probably believe I'm dead and have moved on. I don't have a job, no money, no home. I guess I'm meant to be alone."

Normally, Alijiah would not give in to anything that sounded like self-pity, but this was something else. Danny truly was alone and had no comforts of his lifestyle except for what he had brought with him. What's more, she couldn't do anything about it. She just offered some advice. "Look, I'm not going to pretend I know what you're going through, because I don't. But maybe you're here for a purpose, and you just don't know what it is."

Danny didn't feel any better, but he understood. "Yeah, but maybe it would be nice to figure out what it is."

****

Danny and Zainabu left for Malka's. He told Alijiah that no one disturb him and his sons' training. Danny respected that and asked that Alijiah would pass his regards on to Jabari and hoped to visit him later on in the year. They headed off for Malka's land. It would only take half an hour to reach the valley. Danny was unusually quiet during the trip, and Zainabu was a little concerned. She noticed it after the conversation with Alijiah. When she asked, he simply said that he was told Jabari was nearing the end of his life. Zainabu knew how close Jabari and Alijiah were to him, so she didn't press the issue for anything else.

They landed in the middle of the valley. Malka's jet black mane was distinguishable among the pride, but Danny didn't see the entire pride near the lake they always resided in. They must've been out for a hunt. Danny descended the ramp and he and Zainabu walked out.

Malka wore an huge grin on his face. He ran up to greet them, but this time, he didn't pounce and crush Danny. "Danny, Zainabu, this is great to see you both. What brings you here?"

Danny managed a cheerful smile. It did him some good to see his other surrogate brother. He sometimes wondered what things would be like if he lived with Malka and not Mufasa and the others. "Hey, Malka. We're just visiting you and checking up on things."

Malka shrugged. "Another day, another round. Just a normal day in the life of a king."

"Don't I know it…" He sighed. "But it all comes with the job, and you can't do anything about it."

"I have to say, even though I do come close, you are the most informal king I know."

"That's because I never grew up as royalty. Personally, I'd just prefer to be part of the gang than be king. After Simba steps down, I will step down as well. But if I do find my family, then things will be even more different." He waved it off. He didn't want to go into details with Zainabu around. "We'll talk about that later. How's Tama? I know she was pregnant last time we were here, and assuming from that grin of yours, she came through just fine with some cubs to boot."

Zainabu nudged him roughly. Danny straightened. "I mean, I take it you're a father now?"

Malka heaved his chest up in pride. "Yes, I am. I am a father of three daughters and one son. The son is the oldest of them, and has my blessing of the next in line for the royal throne. His name is Kota. My daughters are Lela, Nia, and Ayanna."

"Can we see them?"

"Sorry, but the girls are on their hunt with their mother. Kota is somewhere, but I couldn't tell you exactly. I just finished my morning rounds and am resting for a while. If you want to wait before they join, you're welcome to stay with me."

Danny nodded. "Sounds good, but just one thing: no claws."

Malka frowned. "What?"

Before anything else, Danny tackled Malka without hesitation. The lion did not see it coming, and couldn't balance himself in time to avoid falling. They rolled and wrestled on the ground, playing like they did before. Malka understood by what Danny said by no claws. He didn't want his younger brother unsheathing his claws while they played. Even though they were both adults, what they had said in the past was true. Girls grow up to be women, boys grow up to be bigger boys.

Danny felt Malka playfully bite, if there ever was such a term, on his arm. Danny went along with it. "I'll bite you back." He clamped his teeth down on Malka's ear, though that took some work to get to his mane. The two rolled over before, trying to get the other to release.

Zainabu just watched the two play with exasperation. She was glad to see Danny shook off his sadness from visiting Jabari and the others. Still, there were times when Danny acted like himself, and then there were times when he just acted plain silly. She wondered if it was mood swings, but she knew that wasn't what Danny was going through. He just pushed things aside and returned to his normal self.

Finally, Danny and Malka finished. They were both panting from their roughhousing. Danny had some teeth marks on his arm, but he seemed fine and there were no puncture marks. Malka was perfectly fine, just drained of some energy from wrestling with Danny. Malka stood and walked to the side of Danny. With a sly smirk on his face, he fell on his side, landing on Danny.

The air was nearly knocked out of the man, and groaned. "Geez, Malka. Ever consider going on a diet? You could afford to slim down a little bit."

They both chuckled as Malka got up to let Danny get some air. "I'm a lion. I'm supposed to be this way, so stop complaining. There's nothing you can do about it."

"Yeah, whatever."

"You boys done?" Zainabu asked patiently. Her expression was one of amusement. "Or was this just round 1?"

Danny shook his head wearily. "I'll wait before the bell rings for the rematch. But I would like to do this more often." He got up and ran over to scoop up some water from the lake. He didn't realize Malka was right behind him. Malka pushed him into the water while he was still cupping the water. He landed in and was immediately cooled from the fight. He came up above the water. "Hey! What was that for?"

"For blindsiding me."

"You're one to talk." Danny retorted, splashing some water in Malka's face. He stepped out and took off his shirt and pants to wring out the water. Even though he was in his boxers, they didn't care. They wore no clothing, so they didn't find it uncomfortable to see him shuck his clothes. "I distinctively recall you blindsiding me one more than one occasion."

"Well, I couldn't let the opportunities go to waste."

Zainabu shook her head. "Okay, let's stop the testosterone contest here. Save it for later."

Danny arched an eyebrow, and looked at Malka. "Do you hear something, bro?"

The lion shrugged. "I think it was just the wind."

Zainabu pushed both of them into the water with everything she had. Both of them lost their balance and they fell into the water. Neither of them expected her to have the guts to knock them in the water. They thrashed and splashed as Zainabu laughed. When Malka came up, she spoke in a musical tone. "How's the water, boys?"

Malka was the only one who came up; Danny was still underwater. "Danny?" He looked around frantically, but couldn't see him. Zainabu's heart began racing in fear that something happened to him. Guilt was beginning to creep inside of her. Malka looked at her. "Nice going. Do you see him?"

"No. I can't-" She stopped in mid-sentence as she saw a few small bubbles coming toward her. She couldn't tell what it was since she couldn't see clearly through the water. The waves were distorting her vision, and she couldn't make out what the creature was. _What the…?_

Danny popped out and wrapped his arms around her neck. With all of his strength, he yanked her down into the water with him. He held her under for a good few seconds before her claws pressed against his skin. He released Zainabu and she flailed to the top. She inhaled sharply and scrambled to get out of the water. She was breathing deeply and shook the water out of her fur. It poofed up, making her look like a tan fluff ball. Danny got up and smiled. "That's for sending us into the water, Zee. Just after I squeezed the water out the last time."

Malka was laughing out loud. "Yeah, have a heart. Couldn't you take a joke?"

Zainabu gave Danny an amused smile. "Oh, I can take a joke." She shoved him back into the water, but not all the way. "That's for scaring me half to death. I thought you drowned."

Danny got up and took off his clothes once again. "I wasn't under for that long. If it was more than a minute, then there would be a problem. But I couldn't have been under for more than thirty seconds."

"Still…" They stared long and hard. But Zainabu's look was more of concern while Danny's was more of confusion. He thought it was all in good fun, but she seemed serious. In truth, the boys thought they were just having fun. Zainabu, while she did have some fun, she did show some concern.

Malka noticed the tension, but smiled. He knew there was something sparking between them. "You seem as moody as my mate, Zainabu."

Danny turned to him, not Zainabu. "What do you mean?"

Malka frowned. He didn't exactly know how to phrase the statement. "Well, she's been acting kinda strange lately."

Danny blinked in amazement. "Strange? Malka, remember who you're talking to. I've pretty much cracked the Strange-Things-For-Dummies book. I know a whole lot of strange things, most of it from the last six years. You need to be more specific."

"Well, one moment she's fine and the next, she's depressed and can't explain it. I don't know what do." He kept a weak smile, but his voice didn't support his expression.

Zainabu giggled. "Mood swings. I miss those feelings. Sometimes it was relaxing to have moments like those."

Malka smile became more genuine. "I miss my lessons from my father…those were the good times."

"I miss my first hunt," Zainabu said, relishing the thoughts.

Danny just stared blankly. "And I miss being around _normal_ people. Could we get back on the subject, please?" This was getting to be too weird of a conversation.

Malka realized he was going off on a tangent. "Oh, yeah. Anyway, she's been moody and depressed lately. Do you know what it is?"

Danny was sure he knew what it was. It was something a lady friend of his went through when she had a baby. _And I was glad I wasn't there, let alone in her husband's shoes. _He fought back a smile, as his brother was now having to deal with it. "It's called postpartum depression. It's not uncommon among females who have just given birth. I think it's some sort of chemical imbalance. It leads to depression and moodiness."

"Is there anyway to cure it?" Malka asked, hoping for something positive.

"I'm afraid not. The only thing you can do is wait it out. Sorry, but that's all I got for you, bro," Danny said sheepishly.

Malka groaned. "Aww, man."

"Well, that's life for you being married. Nothing I can do about it; you just have to live with it."

Danny sat down and let his clothes dry out. Zainabu and Malka circled around next to the water. They began conversing about various things, from issues in the kingdoms to mysterious creatures prowling the borders. Danny had also let Malka know about Jabari's situation, and both planned for travel to Jabari's land when a messenger came to both of them. They wanted to be there out of respect as kings and friends.

****

Shani walked as though she had just been brought back from the dead. So much had happened to her in one day, and it all equaled into her mood now. It was deprived of life, and filled up with guilt, sorrow, and shame. Nobody could make her feel worse than she already felt now. But she knew she deserved the horrible feelings. It was all her fault, and no one else's.

She had spent her time expressing her bias to the sentinel lions, especially Mheetu. He had been the one who remained polite to her, and she tried to see how close she could come to making him say something back to her like Tojo and Chumvi had done. She was successful, and had never felt more terrible soon afterwards. Mheetu came to her rescue, but left shortly after to avoid her. She was jealous of the lion's peaceful and easy upbringing with the Mountain Pride, and tried to make herself feel better by making him feel miserable.

This wasn't like her at all beforehand. She was always tough and strong, but kind most of the time. But since she had learned of Mheetu and the others, she had become ungrateful because of their better lifestyle. Danny saw the change, Mheetu and the sentinels definitely saw the change, she didn't until she nearly lost her life.

She sighed sadly. "I don't deserve his forgiveness. I can't believe I made myself so blind with jealousy. No wonder Danny chewed me out. I never saw things in the true light until I nearly drowned. Mheetu should've left me to drown. That's would I would've done if he made my life a living hell."

Shani came to the field where the pride was at. They had been informed of what she had been doing, and the dirty looks they gave her was a clear indication. She knew she was going to be in hot water for a long time. Still, she needed to have the guts to make it through. _Problem is, I don't have much after today. _

One of the lionesses sneered at her. "Well, if it isn't the little, ice-hearted brat. How nice of you to join us?"

"And you wonder why you will never find a mate?" Another remarked.

The looks nearly stung Shani as much as the comments. Still, she kept her composure. She came close to one of them. "Do you know where Mheetu is right now?"

The lioness looked at her as if she was a snake. "He's taking Tojo's shift, and to be honest, I don't blame him after everything you've done to him."

Shani remained polite, though she felt empty and wretched inside. "Thank you."

She ran up into the cave. There was no one there, and that was the way she wanted it right now. She was so drained and pathetic that she couldn't even cry anymore. Otherwise, she'd be right back to crying again. Shani laid down in the shadows of the pride's sleeping chambers. There was nothing that could be done right now. She would have to figure things out with Mheetu later. Right now, the only thing she could think about was getting some sleep.

But with her situation with Mheetu and her diminishing respect from the pride, she wasn't even sure her dreams would bring her comfort and respite.

**I feel like a beggar right now. Would some reviews be too much to ask? Because I'm not sure, from a general consensus, if my story is good or not. **

**By the way, I'm just filling in what goes on during Kiara's adolescence years. So if there are those of you who are wondering when things are going to unravel, just be patient. Other than that, I hope everyone is enjoying the story.**


	10. Nightmares Never Sleep

**Hey, everyone. Sorry I took so long to write this. I'm sure everyone was tearing their hair out in fear of me stopping this story, but that won't happen unless I confirm it on my profile. Also work and certain things(the addictive Modern Warfare 2) got in the way. Anyways, I hope you like it. Again, reviews would be nice.**

Malka and Danny continued their conversation. Zainabu had talked quite a bit, but it was mainly between kings. She had respect for both of their conversations, but there were times where she had to interject. They had quickly made plans for when Jabari fell to his deathbed, so to speak. Both of them held great respect for the elder king, and considered Jabari as family; to Malka, an uncle---to Danny, a big brother.

Tama came by with the cubs. Kota, Lela, Nia, and Ayanna gave their greetings to Danny, but Kota's was nowhere near as formal as his sisters'. They asked Danny many questions about his previous exploits, and he could tell Malka gave them great bedtime stories about their journeys together. All in all, they were nice kids. Danny played around with them for a little bit, and then let them run about.

Zainabu went with Tama and the kids, leaving Danny and Malka alone. The two were just finishing their conversation on hunting strategies and tips for resolving cases among their kingdoms. "So if one jumps to ambush a herd, they will send the herd in the direction of the other two lionesses. If they go in between them, they jump out and pick off one of the prey. It's a perfect strategy: the delta hunt. But it all centers on how well the lioness making the initial ambush direct the herd," Danny explained.

Malka nodded. "Thanks for the tip." He glanced at Zainabu and back at him. "So what's up with you and Zainabu?"

Danny frowned. "What do you mean?"

Malka smirked. "Oh, c'mon. You don't think I haven't noticed how close you two are. Something's going on between you too." His expression took on a sly form. "You two clicked with each other?"

Malka's brother shrugged. "I'm not sure. I mean, I know we're close. We both understand each other."

Malka held up a paw to stop Danny from jabbering on. "Look, I can tell you both have got chemistry. I don't think I've ever seen the chemistry work between a couple like you and Zainabu. Not even Tama and I have that kind of chemistry."

Danny sighed sadly. "The reason that we have such a good chemistry is because nothing can happen between us." At this Zainabu, who was loitering around the cubs, stopped to listen in to Danny and Malka talk, but neither seemed to notice her eavesdropping. "We're two different species, and a deep friendship and unconditional love is as close as we can get. I may not have been around a human in over a few years, but I haven't lost my sanity and common sense."

Zainabu did not like where this was going. _What is he saying? That all we are, are just _friends_? _

She focused in as Malka spoke. "But do you see the way she looks at you? And how much she appreciates you?"

"Don't you think I know that? I feel closer to her better than anyone I know besides my family. It's just…" His voice fell off.

Malka looked confused. "It's just…what?"

Danny looked downcast. "Malka…the last few months have been eating away at me. Without contact of my kind in years, it's been having drastic effects. I can never have children, I've been eating meat and whatever fruit I can find, and there are things I can't do here that I miss back home. I can't play the games I truly enjoy, like football. I'm unable to talk about things that I can normally talk about with other humans."

"Danny…what are you saying?" Malka asked.

Zainabu had a bad feeling in her gut, and what Danny said next confirmed it. "Malka…I'm thinking of leaving."

Malka looked surprised. "Are you serious? You want to leave?"

"I've enjoyed my time here, but there's the life I left that I miss. I know I have to start over, but at least I'd feel a little more comfortable there." He shook his head. "I've been searching for my family everywhere. I've traveled for hundreds of miles and searched in the general direction where they went. It's not hard since they went by boat. But I haven't found them, and might have to move on. I need to return to my people, my way of life."

Malka wanted so badly to keep Danny here, but he had to respect his decision. To an extent, he couldn't blame Danny. If he were in his position, he would head back to be with his kind. "Well, I will miss you if you did leave."

"I'd miss you too, bro," Danny said, trying to be optimistic.

"What about the others? Like Zainabu and Simba?"

"Simba can rule the lands by himself. I know he's capable. Sarabi would also understand where I stand, but she would still miss me. As for Zee…" He hesitated. "I'm not sure how I'm gonna tell her. Just let Tama know for me in case I don't get to say goodbye to her."

"Alright, Danny. I know she's not gonna like it, but she'll understand. I just hope Zainabu understands."

"Yeah, but I know I gotta tell her soon. I don't want things to get sour by going back and forth like a see-saw battle. That'll just make things worse." He got down on one knee and hugged his little brother. "I don't know if I'll get to see you again, so if I don't, I just want to say that you've been the best little brother ever. I wish I had a blood brother like you."

"Thanks, Danny. I feel the same way about you."

Zainabu felt like her world exploded into a million pieces. She knew this would come to light sooner or later. She only wished it would come later in life. The lioness was pushing on nine years old, and while that was above the halfway point in a lioness' lifespan, Danny made her feel like she was forever young. He always made her feel youthful, and it was noticed among the others in the pride.

Now, he planned on leaving. Eavesdroppers never hear anything good about themselves. While there wasn't anything nasty said about her, what she heard did hurt her. But it brought another thing to mind. _So what was with the conversation he and I had earlier? Was he just toying with me or was he serious? _She knew what the answer to that was. He really did care for her, but he missed his culture and ways of life too much.

It was no secret that she loved him, but she wanted him to be happy above her own desires. If he wanted to leave, she would respect that and let him go his ways. She would have a hard time coping, but she would recover from it. Zainabu growled. _But it doesn't mean I have to like it. _Before anyone could see, she bolted for the _**Preliator**__. _She ran up the ramp and cried to herself, alone. She didn't want anyone to see her like this, especially Danny. She didn't want anyone wondering what the problem was, and Danny would realize she was listening into his talk with Malka.

It was about another forty minutes when she stopped crying. She wiped her eyes with her paw just as Danny walked in. He kept a smile, but his eyes sung a different tune. She knew that he was trying to figure out a way to tell the pride, but didn't know how. He noticed her sitting on the bed, and could swear her green eyes were red-rimmed.

He cocked his head. "You okay, Zee?"

She put on her sweetest smile, and kept her tone low to avoid giving away voice breaks. "I'm fine. Are we heading home now?"

Danny nodded. "Yeah, we've done enough for one day. But sometime in the near future, I want to spend some time with you alone. Just you."

Zainabu nodded. "I would like that." Though, to be honest, she wasn't looking forward to that.

They both headed to the cockpit. Danny sat down and primed his engines. Then powered up the ship. The engines roared to life and didn't take long to warm. Danny strapped in and Zainabu sat herself against the wall. The man began his normal pilot routine of doing a pre-flight checklist. Everything checked out as usual, and soon they began to lift off.

Danny pulled out his CD he had been playing earlier and placed a new one in. "I think I've heard enough rap and hip-hop. Now's the time to play some rock for a change of pace. You don't mind the music, do ya, Zee?"

She shook her head. "No, I don't mind." Zainabu definitely didn't mind. Maybe the noise he called music would get her mind off Danny's conversation she overheard. It would be about half an hour to think about things. Hopefully, things were going well back home.

****

Simba couldn't withhold his jubilation. He was going to have another cub, or possibly a litter. The rest of his rounds went smoothly and he couldn't be any happier. Nala decided to reveal the news to the rest of the pride, with an excited reception. Now, the lionesses spent the rest of the day talking about the great news, wondering how many the queen would have, and how many of each gender. They had a great meal from their hunt, and now were enjoying the warmth of the sun. Some left to wander around and to get a drink from the waterhole.

Simba began to head up to the summit to pay respects to those who had been lost since Mufasa's passing. The graves, stone piles with a flat headstone for each one, were made by Danny. It was how his people were remembered as they passed into the afterlife. Simba had no problems with it. In fact, he actually preferred it. Even though it brought up old pains, it felt as though they were still hear.

Simba looked at each one from left to right, placing a paw on each one: Kamaria, Chinaka, Yihana, Sarafina, Mufasa, Geena, Takiyah, Maisha, and Sarama. They were all special lions, and Danny held them in very great esteem. Simba came back to the grave in the center, the one of his father's. He missed his father, but Mufasa was in a better place.

Simba let a tear fall out of his eye. "I miss you, Father. I wonder just what would've happened if the events at the gorge didn't take place. Were things meant to happen like this? Maybe I would've had a normal childhood, but then again, I never would've met Timon and Pumbaa. In some ways, they did help me grow up…for what it's worth, anyways." He chuckled. "But I need your help. Though I'm ecstatic that I'm going to have another cub, I feel the weight of the pride and the people is bearing down on me."

"Zira hasn't been heard from in over a year, and that has me worried. Sometimes a dangerous enemy is the one who suddenly goes quiet and is not heard from in a while. More importantly, I wonder about Kovu and Vitani. God knows what she's done to them, and I fear the worst aside from death. What must I do to stay the course?"

"Just being yourself." Sarabi came up beside him and they bumped heads. "You must continue as the king you've always have been since taking over. To keep on keeping on."

"I know, Mother," he said, sounding resigned. "I just feel like I'm missing a piece of the puzzle, and need to find it before something happens."

Sarabi smiled. "You know, your father was once like that when he first took over after your grandfather Ahadi passed on." She looked up to the sky. "He would worry about every little thing that went on, and even when things were good, he still felt unsure of things at times."

Simba looked at her. "So how did he handle things?"

"Eventually, he settled down. But his work ethic remained the same, and he was considered one of the greatest lions to live in these lands. You seem to be following the same pattern he had."

"What about Danny? He seems to handle things very easily, especially with what's going on with him. He seems so laid back in everything, but can take the pressures of the kingdom. Let's not forget, he's still mocked for what he is."

Sarabi smiled. "That's who Danny is, and I'm sure it was because of the upbringing his parents raised him." She sighed. "If only I could have the privilege of meeting his parents. I would congratulate them for raising such a fine young man."

That was something Simba wished the pride could have. They would gladly welcome his family and share with them what they shared with Danny. After all, he was the other king of the Pride Lands. "It would be nice, and I'm sure they are fine people. But I'm also sure that they would be shocked at seeing us, not to mention Danny talking to us."

Sarabi managed a light laugh. "I imagine they would. I have to be honest, before I met Danny, we were always told to kill any man who enters our lands. We would warn them with a roar if they got to close, and would stay away from them if they stayed away from us. But Danny has given us every reason to trust humans. He has helped us through so much, and we could never truly pay him back."

"Yeah, you're right, Mother." His jubilation returned at remembering Nala's pregnancy. "So you already know you're going to have more grandchildren?"

"Of course. I'm you're mother. I know everything when it comes to you." She glanced over to him as he stretched out his paws. "So where did Nala find you this morning?"

Simba snorted. "I thought you knew everything when it comes to me."

Sarabi was taken aback by the joke, for a moment. She wasn't expecting it, and just shook her head. "No matter how old you get, you can't seem to shake the cub out of you."

"Well, I lived through my childhood. I might as well use it."

"Very true." Sarabi's ears perked up to the sound of a unique and familiar noise. Danny was coming in from his trip to Jabari and Malka's land. Hopefully this time, he didn't run into any problems. She turned. "Well, looks like your brother's back. Let's move out of the way to greet him."

"Sounds good," Simba said.

They moved to the edge and waited as Danny began to slow the _**Paratus Preliator **_down. The ship began descending to the ground. Sarabi looked over at Simba. "My son, let me give you a piece of advice." Their eyes locked as she spoke again. "You are a great king, even as great as your father was in his prime. Don't let little things get the best of you. They are hard to deal with, but they are much easier to sort out. The bigger things should devote the most attention as far as your duties go."

She placed a paw on his. "But whatever you do, don't set your expectations so high that you can't attain them. Otherwise, you'll look at yourself as a failure for the rest of your life."

Simba smiled. "I won't, Mom. I'll do my best…I promise." He bumped heads with her as the ship finally set down.

The ramp descended to the ground. The two lions waited as patient as they could, which wasn't saying much. They were excited to tell Danny of the good news. Sadly, they were disappointed as they saw the expressions on Danny and Zainabu's faces. Both looked subdued as well as a little depressed. They put on good smiles as they saw they had a greeting party.

Danny did the better job at smiling. "Hey, guys. Nice of you to escort us to the cave. If I had known this, I would've kicked out the red carpet." He noticed Simba was about to explode. "Judging by the look on your face, Simba, it looks like you've got something wonderful to tell me."

Simba nodded. He had waited for hours to tell Danny, and now he could. "Nala is pregnant again. I'm going to have another litter of cubs."

Danny's eyes widened. "When did you find out about this?"

"Just this morning. Nala found me and told me about it. You can imagine how I felt."

The man arched an eyebrow. "More like how you reacted."

Simba laughed. "I'll let Nala tell you. I'd rather she embarrass me than myself. It's less humiliating."

Zainabu walked up to them. "Leave it to the females to do the talking for you."

Danny chuckled. "Yeah, well that's what females…" He caught her arching an eyebrow. She was almost daring him to finish that sexist statement. "I'll shut up, now."

Zazu came flying up from the lands and flew over to them. He landed and bowed low in respect. When he looked up again, the concern on his face was plain as day. "Sires, Mheetu is coming in from his shift. He's limping badly."

Simba's smile disappeared at the news. "Is anyone following him?"

He shook his head. "No, sire. He seems to be alone."

Danny frowned. "That's odd. He must've gotten into a fight." He pointed at Zazu. "Have two lionesses assist him, and send Tojo out in his place."

Zazu bowed once again. "At once, my king."

As Zazu flew off, Danny processed everything altogether. Simba was going to have at least another cub, possibly more. While that was great news, it was a hollowing reminder that if Danny never returned to his people, it was something he would never have. He wanted what Simba had: a wife and family. Sooner or later, he would have to come down to that decision to leave. The question was when would be the appropriate time to do so?

But he had to focus on that later. Right now, Mheetu was in need of some medical attention. He wasn't much of a doctor, or veterinarian in this case, but he would see if what he had learned from high school could be put to use. He shook his head ruefully, but managed to hold a smile. "New cubs, an injured lion, and mood swings. There's no place like home."

****

Mheetu couldn't bear the pain anymore. His leg was stinging badly and beginning to swell. He was favoring his right foreleg already, since it was his left one that was injured. But his right leg's muscles were beginning to burn. If he kept going on his patrol, then he would probably cause further damage. In any other case, he would've returned to Pride Rock. But considering the fact that he didn't want to be anywhere near Shani.

After saving her, he had done his duty. Now, he just wanted to keep away from her. He didn't know if she was there, but he hoped she wasn't. He didn't know how she would react, but he didn't want to be around to find out.

Mheetu was nearing Pride Rock when he noticed a greeting party coming out: two lionesses. He gulped. _Oh, Lord. Please do not let one of them be Shani._

He was relieved when it was Xolani and Aziza coming. The light-furred lion stopped to wait for them, shaking his contrasting black mane. Aziza stopped right in front of him. "Hey, there. We were told to help you."

Mheetu smiled sheepishly, trying not to wince from the pain. "If it's not too much trouble, could you both carry me back."

They both lined up side-by-side and crouched down. Xolani responded. "No trouble at all. Climb on."

Mheetu limped over to their sides and got on their backs, lying on his side and perpendicular to the two lionesses. They carried him to Pride Rock the rest of the way. They walked up the slope, albeit slowly. It was a lot of weight to carry, but Xolani and Aziza could manage. Coming up the slope, the others made way for them as they came into the cave.

Mheetu got off and plopped to the ground. "Thanks for the help, ladies."

Aziza smiled. "Always ready to help a pride member."

"Danny will be down in a minute. He's getting supplies to help, and Haraka and Zazu are racing each other to get to Rafiki's tree to come and give some help," Xolani said.

Mheetu smirked. The majordomos were amusing to hear about when it involved secret competition between each other. "Alright, then. I guess I'll see you later."

They left to leave him alone. The rest was very soothing for his leg. Of course, he would've been feeling up to par if it wasn't for Shani. He didn't know what she was doing out there in the first place, but it was probably her own doing. But there was no way that hole had just appeared there. It was dug out, and someone had to do it. But who?

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of someone groaning. Mheetu looked around to find the source of the noise. His vision centered on a mass hiding in the shadows of the cave. As he narrowed his eyes to focus in the ambient darkness, recognition crossed his face. _God, why did it have to be her?_ Shani was on the other end of the cave sleeping in the corner, or trying to, anyways. She seemed to be either trying to get some sleep, or having nightmares.

Danny walked in to the cave. He was carrying a small box with a white circle and red cross imprinted on the side. He was also carrying a bag with cubes of some sort in them. "Well, well. What kind of patient does Dr. Feelgood have now?"

Mheetu brought his attention on Danny. "My leg is busted. I tried to walk on it, but it was too much pain to deal with."

Danny knelt down. "Well, let me take a look at it." He looked at Mheetu. "Which one is it, again?"

Mheetu gingerly lifted his left foreleg. "This one. I'm not sure what the deal is with it, but it hurts…a lot."

"Comprehende, mi amigo." Danny gently held the leg and felt around it. He could tell the leg would not line up properly, and it was clearly swelling. This was not good. Danny needed to make sure it wasn't broken. "Can you move your leg at all?"

Mheetu moved it, but very carefully. "This good enough."

"Good enough to tell me it's not broken. Can you bend it?"

Mheetu winced in pain as he did. "Ow, it hurts like a motherfu-"

Danny harshly cut him off. "Hey, hey. Watch your mouth." He opened up his box and pulled out some cloth.

"It's not like you don't curse at all, Danny," Mheetu complained.

"True, but I don't ever recall saying _that _particular word. I've said some mild things, but nothing like that. Cursing is not something I like, especially coming out of my mouth. If it's one thing I hate worse than cursing, it's others following my example and cursing as well." He took the bag of cubes and wrapped it in the cloth. Then he wrapped another cloth in the form of a sling. "Alright, here's the deal. You have a hyper extended foreleg. You're going to be out for a couple weeks, if not more than a month…and that's just from a human standpoint."

Mheetu rose fast, but the pain and Danny's hand forced him back down. "Around a month? I've got my duty to do."

Danny forced him back to the ground. "Sit…down." He sighed. "You're not going anywhere, Mheetu. You need to rest."

He pointed at the exit of the cave. "Tojo and Chumvi can use the extra time on shifts. I'll probably help them out as well. But you will be staying here. If I catch you anywhere aside from the cave or just outside for some sun, I'll tie you up and sedate you each time after you eat. Is that understood?"

Mheetu realized there was no winning against Danny in these cases. Danny cared, but sometimes showed it in a forceful way. He slowly nodded. "Yes, sire."

"Good." Danny began wrapping the cloth around Mheetu's leg.

Mheetu flinched upon the ice cold feeling from the cloth. "Geez, that's cold."

Danny rolled his eyes. "I guess that's why it's called an icepack. This is to help the swelling go down and speed up your recovery. Now, I'll be getting new bags of ice each day. I don't know how long it will last given the heat. At least my ship's freezer is still working."

Mheetu settled down and adjusted to the cold. "Thanks, Danny."

He smirked. "That's why I make the big bucks, fuzz face." They both exchanged laughs at Danny's remark. A cheerful heart was good medicine, and Danny was doing his best to make sure of that. But his laughter died down upon the question of what happened to Mheetu. "So, you mind telling me how this all happened?"

Mheetu hesitated. "I'd rather not say right now."

Danny wondered about what happened earlier in the day. "Does it have anything to do with Shani? Last I saw, she ran off and was not heard from for a while. You were the only sentinel on patrol at the time. This is just a hunch, mind you, but if it's not then I'll drop it right here and now if it doesn't involve her."

Mheetu realized that he was really saying "you can either tell me now or I'll find out later" and wouldn't drop it. He sighed, as he realized this long day was about to stretch out even more. "Alright, here's what happened."

****

Shani looked around. The place she was at, was not Pride Rock. In fact, it didn't even seem like it was Africa. She was freezing cold and surrounded by a bunch of white ground. Small flakes fell from the sky and piled up on the ground. When it came in contact with her, it felt so cold that it almost burned. She figured this was the snow Danny had always told the pride about when he used to live with his people. She huffed. _Well as far as I'm concerned, his people can keep this stuff 'cause I don't like it one bit._

Shani walked through the woods until she came to a small house. It was made of entirely of wood and glass for windows, with smoke coming out of a chimney. But she didn't know what it was. She walked closer to see what was going on inside.

Inside were various members of the pride. Danny was the only one standing, and it seemed he was telling another story to them. The others were sitting by a warm fire and seemed very comfortable, much to the envy of Shani. They all were eating and having a good time whereas she was sitting out in the cold, freezing her tail off.

The door to her side suddenly opened, prompting her to trot over in that direction. Shani came face to face with a male lion. The lion's cream fur stood out among most lions, even those with golden fur. But his black mane made him stand out even more. Mheetu stared at her, impassive. "Why are you here?"

Shani was shivering, and chattering her teeth. She felt as though her limbs and tail would fall off with zero warning. "P-Please, Mheetu. I-I-I'm very cold. C-Could I c-come in?"

Mheetu's expression remained deadpanned. "After everything you've done to me, you think you can ask me to come in my house to be warm?"

Shani's voice became raspy. "P-Please, I'm s-s-sorry." All she could do was hope for him to say yes.

He didn't. "We could've been good friends, you know? But since you decided to torment my life for over a year, I don't see any chance of that happening." He pointed his paw at her. "Besides, how do I know you are truly sorry?"

Shani couldn't answer. At least, not in a good way. She barely managed to open her mouth, let alone speak. She was so cold from the snow that she didn't even know if she could move. "I-I won't d-do it again-n-n. Please l-let me in." She was now on the verge of crying.

Mheetu shook his head. "That's what they all say, and then go right back to it again. I'm sorry, but you brought this on yourself. You are on your own." He turned around to head back in.

"Please h-help me. I d-don't wanna b-be alone."

But it was too late. Mheetu had already shut the door. Shani was left outside, all alone and freezing cold. She tried to cry, but the tears froze before they were halfway down her cheeks. Never in her life did she feel so depressed and sad. She knew she deserved it, but wondered if she could ever get the forgiveness of Mheetu and her fellow pride members. It was mainly Mheetu she wanted to be forgiven by. If he did, and the rest of the pride didn't, she would be happy.

Now, she was out in the cold. What's worse, she was alone. No Danny, no Geena, no Mheetu, no one. It was the worst scenario imaginable for her, and she wanted it to end. She wanted to move and find a place warm, but the cold prevented her from doing so. She was so cold, her muscles refused to obey any commands. With nothing else left, she did the only thing that she still had left, and that was to cry.

****

Shani woke up with a head-jerking start. That nightmare was the worst she had ever had, and she didn't even had the comfort of feeling fully rested. Being alone was the worst for her, and she felt that she was well on her way to that situation. She felt terrified of falling back to sleep, because she didn't want to experience that nightmare again.

She was about to break down crying when she heard voices in the cave. On the other side were Danny and Mheetu. Mheetu's leg was bandaged up, and she knew it was the leg he had hurt when he saved her. They appeared to be having conversation with each other. She perked her ears up and listened in as best as she could. She kept her breathing shallow to help.

Mheetu looked grim. "She was caught in a hole that was filling up with water. I jumped in and managed to push the rock holding her down off of her. Then I dragged her to the surface and out of the hole."

"Then what happened?" Danny asked.

"Then I went on my way and told her not to come anywhere near me."

"Well, given what's been going on, I don't blame you for that."

Mheetu closed his eyes for a moment, trying to expel the anguish from his face. "It's just that she drives me so crazy, and all I want is for her to keep away. In all honesty, I would rather I had never even known her."

Shani felt her heart break in two. To hear this from her own pride hurt her, but it wasn't surprising to come from Mheetu. After all, she was the one in the wrong. Her amber eyes started to well up, but she kept on listening. But she wondered how long she would take it, especially after her nightmare.

Danny sat down, Indian-style. "Well, if you wish you had never known her, why not just let her drown? What's the thinking?"

Mheetu frowned. "Why save her?"

"Yeah, why save her?"

Shani waited anxiously for an answer. Mheetu spent a long time in silence before answering. "Because it was the right thing to do. I couldn't live with myself if I didn't save her. It's my duty." His eyes flashed with anger. "But that doesn't mean I feel any different about her."

"Like I said, I don't blame you, but don't get so worked up about it." He stood and grabbed his equipment. "I just hope things pan out soon."

"You and me both. I don't know how much longer of her presence I can take."

Shani had heard enough. She felt lower than low, and things were getting worse. _Great, I wake up from one nightmare and into another. What came over me? Why would I even do something like this?_ As the other pride members came in to turn in early, Shani could only wish she could go back in time and fix things. The others saw her in the corner and looked at her with disgust. It was horrible to see, but she had brought these problems on herself, and now she had to work her way back up.

****

Simba walked around the plains. It was open grasslands, with acacia trees all around. It was dusk, and the Africa sun was setting, halfway covered by the horizon. Everything seemed normal, at first, but upon a more careful inspection Simba noticed there were no animals. No birds, no mammals, nothing. It struck him as odd. He was near the gorge at the moment, and the only sound aside from his paws stepping on the ground was a constant rumbling.

This was familiar. He had seen this all before. This could only lead to…death. He was at the gorge during the stampede, and his father Mufasa would die, again. Simba gritted his teeth. _Not again. I am not going through this again._ He began sprinting to the gorge, hoping things would be different than when he had seen this the last time. One time was enough, and he had it happening yet again. Simba was sick of having his father fall to his death over and over. It slowly ate away at him, and he was determined to stop it.

Simba reached the gorge and surveyed the scenario. The gigantic herd of wildebeests were flowing along like a huge flood, not showing any end in sight for Simba. It seemed like the herd could go on forever in endless supply. But that was the least of his concerns. Right now, his goal was to find his father before it was too late.

He couldn't see Mufasa anywhere, and decided to shout out for him. "Father! Father, are you here!?"

It was not long before he got his answer. "Simba! Simba! Help me!" The voice was definitely Mufasa's, and it was coming a good distance down the length of the gorge.

Simba wasted no time. "Hold on, Father! I'm on my way!" He ran down the side of the small canyon, scanning the walls for his father. He would never forgive himself if he let this happen again. The loss of his father was bad enough. Now his dreams were making sport of him by repeating the same thing over and over again.

He spotted his father about fifty yards away from him. Mufasa was struggling to hang on for dear life, and his unsheathed claws could only do so much. If Simba didn't hurry, Mufasa would once again be claimed by the wildebeest herd. "Dad, I coming! Hang on!"

Simba not just jumped, but vaulted over two tiers of ground to cut down on time. The landing was less than satisfactory, however. He landed, but his legs couldn't absorb all of the shock, and fell over from imbalance and down another level. The rhinos in his head were pounding to get out of his skull, and they didn't seem to be letting up soon. "Son of a…"

He looked down to see Mufasa. Simba's vision was now woozy and blurred from the landing, but it was slowly clearing up. "Don't have time to wait for my vision to clear. I gotta move."

Simba slid down to reach for his father. He would not fail his father again; he couldn't. Simba flinched at an all too familiar voice. _Oh, no. _Up a couple feet was Scar, laughing maniacally while moving down towards Simba and Mufasa. Simba crawled closer to Mufasa, knowing that time was against him already, and Scar's presence cut that in half. He reached down to grab his father's paw. He was so close, Simba couldn't fail now…

"Gotcha!" Simba shouted as he firmly grasped his father's paw, just as his Mufasa had begun to fall. He wasn't going to die from the herd of wildebeests this time, Simba made sure of that. Mufasa nodded and gave him a fatherly smile. Out of the corner of his eye, Simba saw Scar growling. The smaller lion grabbed a rock and flung it at Simba's paw. The rock came at him with frightening speed, and knocked his grip of Mufasa's paw away.

Mufasa, having only Simba as support to hold him up, began to fall. His expression was full of fright as he fell, screaming as he did. Simba watched in shock as his father fell to his death. All he could hear was the sound of wind blowing and his own heartbeat. Seconds seemed like days, and Simba's heartbeat seemed to be the only timer.

Mufasa's fall sped up as he fell and hit the ground hard. Soon he was covered and trampled by the wildebeests. "NNNOOOO!!!" Simba screamed. "FFAATTTHHEERR!!!"

****

Danny ran with everything he could. For the umpteenth time, he had been on the run with his family. For the umpteenth time, his family had been systematically hunted down and killed. For the umpteenth time, Danny was getting sick of being terrorized by this. He now heard Sarabi calling for help, for him.

He ran down the hall, his XM8 ready to fire. Nothing was going to stop him from completing his mission. Danny had seen enough deaths, and would like to see some peace for a change.

A door ahead of him opened. He aimed at a lion walking out to face him. But it was no ordinary lion. While its fur and mane resembling a normal lion, the unnatural red eyes told Danny it was something else. Much to his surprise, the lion transformed into a robot. His face was plated and brown in color, and the sharpness of his body showed it meant business. To add to that, the rifle in his left hand also told Danny the transformer was hostile. It brought it up to bear on Danny's chest.

"Oh, no you don't." Danny acted more quickly than the robot. He whipped his rifle up and squeezed the trigger, sending a three-round burst into it. The shots tore through the robot's chest and face. Sparks ripped out of the mechanoid as it dropped its rifle and fell to the ground. It was dead, at least Danny hoped so.

Danny stepped over it and continued his run to find Sarabi and the others. "Sarabi, where are you?"

"Danny…" Sarabi's voice echoed due to the heavy acoustics.

Danny checked each door. He couldn't tell where her voice was coming from. "I…I can't tell what door you're in!"

He opened a door. "You have to find me, Danny." Sarabi's voice sounded louder in this room. He ran through and found only a door to his left. Her voice was getting louder. "You have to find me, Danny." He must be on the right path to finding her and the others.

Danny opened the door, only to find himself in a room with no doors or windows. She wasn't in here, nor were the others. He cursed. "I don't know, God. Could you cut me a break, already?"

Another voice responded, this one an all too familiar voice. "Actually, I prefer to be called…"

Danny's eyebrows shot up. "You!" He ran out of the room and back to the hall. He looked around. That was the voice of the one who had been tormented him in his sleep right before he woke up. The one who had captured him when he crashed his ship here many years ago. "Where are you, Dasyu!?"

"Ooh, someone's getting angry. You might wanna take it down a few notches before you have an ulcer." Dasyu was nowhere to be seen, but his voice echoed throughout the corridor. He enjoyed playing these little games with Danny, and the latter of the two was not having any of it.

Danny growled. "Why don't you come out and face me like a man?" He wanted a fight right now, and Dasyu's coy mind games.

"I would, but the funny thing about facing you like a man is…you need to be a man," Dasyu said sardonically. "Last I recall, I'm not human."

"Yeah, I know. You're just failed experiment with a few loose screws in the head," Danny retorted. He ran to the end of the corridor to find one door remaining. There was a narrow crack at the bottom of the door, and it was glowing brightly. Whatever was behind it, Danny was sure it would lead him to Sarabi and the other lionesses. He tried to turn the knob, but it was locked. _Guess I'll have to do this the old-fashioned way._ Danny brought his leg up and kicked the door open.

He was instantly blinded by bright lights. Thankfully, it only lasted for a moment and his eyes adjusted fairly quickly. The light died down and he surveyed the room. It was a huge prison room, with blue-paneled walls and white lights for illumination. The prison cells were closed off by sliding walls, making it impossible to see who was inside which cell. A huge metal pillar in the center housed some computer consoles and levers, most likely the controls to open the cells. Aside from him, no one else present in the room.

Danny closed the door behind him and moved toward the consoles. The computers were fairly simple to manipulate, and accessed each one of the cells. He wasn't sure what was behind them, but his gut told him they would be friendly, even if they weren't his pride. The computer flashed green and indicated for him to pull the lever down. "That was fairly easy." He had spoken too soon. When he tried to pull the lever down, it refused to budge. "You gotta be kidding me." He yanked some more, but to no avail; it wouldn't move.

"I'm afraid not." Danny whirled around to come face to face with the creature that had tried to kill him and Jabari's pride, Dasyu. Dasyu stared at him with dark eyes. He held up a card key. "To pull that lever down, you need _this _to do it."

Danny started circling, with Dasyu following suit. "You never disappoint, Dasyu. I'll just make things easy and be on my way." He aimed his rifle up to shoot, but he suddenly felt woozy. He fired, but his shots went wide to the right, not even close to Dasyu's chest. Danny frowned. _What's happening?_

Dasyu walked up to him and grabbed the rifle out of his hands. Dasyu tossed the XM8 across the room, leaving his human counterpart with out his weapon. He circled around the incapacitated Danny. "Amazing, isn't it? How you can't even aim your weapon straight?" He laughed. He reached into his pocket and produced a small, but powerful weapon. It was a Desert Eagle, a sidearm that packed a huge punch.

Danny's eyes widened with fear. His heart rate began racing to no end, and the heat in his body rose. Sweat began to pour from his brow. If he didn't do something soon, Dasyu would kill him. "What did you do to me?"

"I haven't done anything…at least, not right now. I want to savor this moment." Dasyu knelt down in front of Danny's face. His smug smile was starting to unnerve Danny. "Starting to panic yet?"

Danny reached for his knife. "I don't need a rifle to kill you."

But he was too slow to bring his knife up. Danny was so sluggish it seemed like his knife-hand was moving in slow motion. Dasyu easily batted it aside, knocking the knife out of Danny's grasp. The knife slid across the floor and was stopped by the presence of a wall. Dasyu scoffed. "Pfft…really, Danny? A knife? Against a transformer? I don't think so." He got up and stuck his card in the console. Pulling the lever down, Dasyu said, "I think it would be appropriate to give you one last look at your friends."

All but two cell walls opened up, only to reveal a laser wall that shimmered in the dimly lit room. On the other side were the various members of Danny's pride. He immediately recognized Sarabi, but this time he recognized some other faces. Two of the lionesses were Shani and Aziza, as well as Danny's longtime friends Ebere and Berhane. "What the…?"

The lionesses seemed to be panicked, and were pressing their paws against the walls. Sarabi was screaming at the top of her lungs. "Danny! Help us!"

Dasyu smiled as he watched them panic. "Nice little family reunion, don't you think so?" He looked down at Danny, whose eyes were locked at the lions he had called his family. Dasyu aimed his pistol down at Danny and smirked. "I spent so long trying to find you…"

Danny could barely move. It seemed like time for him just slowed down entirely. Heck, the air seemed like it was made of molasses. _Come on, I can't just sit here and move so slowly_. He tried to move faster, but it got him nowhere. He was a sitting duck.

Dasyu paid the actions no mind. "…and now you have given yourself to me. Calmly, easily…" Danny shook his head in disbelief. He didn't want to give in, but he had little choice. Dasyu flicked the safety switch off. "…entirely without incident." Dasyu then groaned. "Though this will hardly be any fun at all."

Danny's face twisted into raging anguish. "No." Suddenly, things sped up. Time seemed to be going to fast. He snapped his head at the barrel of the pistol, but it was really Dasyu he was looking at. "Not without incident."

He quickly grabbed the pistol out of Dasyu's hands. Dasyu was completely surprised, but didn't even have time to react as Danny kicked his chest, knocking him to the ground and up against the console. Danny aimed the pistol at his nemesis. Dasyu seemed to look like a broken toy model. It was over, and Danny had changed the events at the end unlike the other times.

Or so it seemed.

Dasyu laughed. "You think you've won, kid. But you don't know the half of it."

Danny narrowed his eyes. "I don't see anyone here to stop me, and I'll find out the half of it when I cut you in two." He aimed the pistol up at Dasyu's head.

Dasyu held up a hand. "One thing before you shoot me." He tapped a button next to the lever.

The two cells that hadn't initially opened with the others began lifting up. As they did, Danny saw the creatures behind the laser walls. It took a moment to process who he was looking at. Then recognition swept across his face. In both cells were Tojo, Mheetu, Chumvi, Haraka, Malka, Jabari's son Tupoc, and Zainabu. They all wore pained looks of resignation. It was as if they knew what was coming, but could do nothing about it. Danny frowned. _What is going on here?_

Zainabu's expression was one of pleading. "Danny…"

Suddenly, gas began to fill in their cells. It filtered in from nozzles along the walls, and formed a visual fog blanket from Danny's sight. But it did not block out his hearing. Soon, he heard coughing, choking, and high-pitched screams of pain. They were dying. Danny was frightened. "No!"

He tried to sprint over to the console, but time seemed to slow down once again. He swore. "Of all the times for this, it had to happen now!" Danny moved closer to the console, ignoring the comatose Dasyu. It felt like an eternity before he was able to slam his hand down on the shutdown button on the console. Things started to speed up as Danny pulled the lever down and removed the card key.

He turned around to look into the cells. As the gas dissipated, he realized on sight that he was too late. The gas had run its painful course on his friends, and they were now dead. None of them had moved, only to confirm the deaths. The pistol fell out of Danny's hand as he moved closer to them, afraid that it might be true, that his friends were gone.

As he came closer, he heard voices. The first was Tojo. "How could you let this happen to us, boss man?"

Then he heard Zainabu's. "You failed us, Danny. Just like you failed the Pride Lands."

Danny knelt down next to Zainabu's body and held her head in his arms. First, it was just him. Now, it was his friends having their number called. It seemed as though this was all symbolic of the future, as it hadn't happened and kept coming into Danny's mind over and over with no end in sight. He just wanted to change everything and then leave it alone. With a painful cry, he screamed. "God, how can I stop this? Tell me!"

He hung his head in defeat. Footsteps came closer, followed by the cocking of a pistol. Once again, Danny looked up to the barrel of the pistol. Just like every other time this had happened. Dasyu chuckled. "Welcome to my world, Danny." With that said, a gunshot rang out, and everything went white.

****

"AAAHHH!!!" Danny shot up from the ground. That nightmare had hit him again for God-knows-how long. He was sweating, and his body felt as though someone had poured gasoline on him and lit a match. This was the first time his nightmare had an alternation. The other times were the same, even though he had attempted to try to change things. Danny clutched his head as a splitting headache arose as his immediate priority. _This is crazy. If only I could end these nightmares once and for all._

He looked around the cave. Surprisingly, everyone was still sleeping. It was odd since a lion should've easily picked up Danny's screaming with their ears. Now that he thought of it, something else struck him as odd. _I could swear that I heard another voice in my scream, like an echo. Or was it…?_ He looked around to find an equally astonished Simba. Danny blinked. "I'm sorry, Simba. I didn't mean to wake you up."

Simba kept his voice low. "No, you didn't. Actually, I was going to apologize for waking _you _up."

Danny frowned. "I guess we woke up at the same time, with the same results."

The lion yawned, and stretched his legs and paws. "Do you want to discuss this outside?"

"Yeah, that would be a good idea."

They walked out to the promontory arch. Both kings walked up to the very top at the edge that overlooked the Pride Lands. The moon was out full, and the lands were illuminated with a fluorescent blue light. All of the animals were asleep, with the exception of the nocturnal hunting parties. Aside from them, the entire lands were asleep, dreaming wonderful dreams.

The same couldn't be said for Simba and Danny. They both were bothered by the dreams they just had in their sleep. But fortunately, they had each other to rely on, each other to share their problems and help. Simba cracked his neck. "I had that dream again."

Danny was doing pushups, but was listening. "You mean the one with your father and the stampede?"

"Yeah, but there was something different."

Danny stopped his pushups. Simba had always told him the same story about this dream, but the fact that it was different caught his attention. It was mainly because of the difference in his own dream. _Or nightmare, rather._ "But was the result just the same as the others?"

Simba looked crestfallen. "Yes…but I had his paw in my own. For a moment, my father's death had been altered for a moment." He sat down and explained. "I saw him holding on for dear life, I went to rescue him, I saw Scar walking down my direction…"

Danny nodded, going along with what his brother was saying. "Then you grabbed Mufasa's paw and he was safe."

"For the moment. Scar then took a rock and threw it at our paws. It hit mine and I lost my grip. That's when…" His eyes welled up with tears.

Danny nodded. "I know the rest. I had my same dream, and like yours, I was able to change things…at first." He explained about what happened in his dream with Dasyu and then the sentinels, Zainabu, and the other lions. Danny felt great pain just retelling it, like a soldier recalling horrible events that he wouldn't tell with anyone else except a select few. And it was for the same reason: the person listening would understand. "I avoided my death the first time, but that only made the pain drag out, and it involved the deaths of others. It's so horrible just to think about these nightmares."

Simba nodded. "Is that why you always go to bed late and get up early?"

"The getting up early part is just me. I've always been like that. But I've been going to sleep later than normal because I'm so afraid of that dream, that I'm afraid of having it when I drift off or sit down."

Simba had noticed that a lot in recent times. Danny had seldom sat down and had slept less and less. The dreams made perfect sense not to want to rest or go to sleep. Even he was afraid to go to sleep sometimes. His dreams never happened as often as Danny's but just made it less predictable. "I hear ya, Danny. But do you think it is symbolic or something? Something about the future?"

"I pray to God not. Besides, how does that explain your nightmare? Mufasa and the stampede is something from the past?" He thought things over for a second. "Do you think it's linked to something in the future?"

"It could, but I don't know."

Danny looked down at the lands. "Personally, I hope this isn't symbolic. But the fact that it keeps happening makes me think it is, which is part of the reason why I don't sleep much anymore." He got up and motioned for Simba to follow. "Come on. Let's go back into the den."

"Do you think we will get back to sleep?"

"That's the one thing I'm glad of. I've always been able to go back to sleep right afterwards without problems. I just hope that trend doesn't stop now." He stopped. He remembered something, something about his father.

Simba noticed and looked up. "What is it, Danny?"

Danny's eyes hardened. "My father used to be a soldier. He fought in many wars and engagements in his day. I remember that he very rarely told stories about his exploits, but he always said one phrase to me every time." He laughed lightly. "He used to say that dreams come and go, but nightmares never sleep. It's kind of funny that I've never been in a war, but I understand what he means. These nightmares don't rest at all, or until they're appeased."

"How are we gonna do that?" Simba asked.

Danny shook his head. "I haven't the slightest idea. We'll figure it out later. Right now we just have to get some sleep."

As they entered the den to return to their normal sleeping spots, Simba asked. "You ever wonder if you feel alone and the world out there just wants to hurt you?"

Danny's answer couldn't have been more matter-of-fact. "Everyday, Simba. Every stinkin' day."


	11. Love is a Verb, Pt I: Trying to Change

**Hello, everyone. Sorry for the wait, but I do have a life outside of writing. Modern Warfare 2, Halo, to name a few…plus hanging out with friends. This and the next chapter are the hardest ones to work on because, as I've stated earlier, romance is my worst attribute of writing. I do expect some constructive criticism and would like to know what parts of my romance writing need improvement. Other than that, enjoy.**

Five months had passed. Danny and Simba had been doing their normal duties as had the sentinels and the rest of the pride. There still hadn't been much word on the Outsiders. Zira and her clan had kept very quiet. Haraka and Danny went on a few patrols near there, but usually came up with nothing. Danny was starting to suspect that he and/or Haraka had been spotted when they first surveyed their home, and whenever they or others came into the area, they would head inside their termite mound and keep silent. Whatever they were up to, the Outsiders were doing a good job at covertness.

Kiara still wasn't much different than what she was like when she was a cub: adventurous and curious as ever. She had been practicing her skills as a hunter, but she was a couple steps behind the lionesses she had grown up with. Still, she wasn't absolutely horrible; she just needed more time to hone her skills. However, time would start to turn against her if she didn't improve. She had a year left before she was expected to take her solo hunt to earn her place in the pride. As future queen, she would need to lead the hunting party and not be the follower.

Moods seemed to be the same, except when directed at Shani. Ever since everyone found out what she had been doing to the sentinels, in particular Mheetu, the whole pride had made her life a living hell. Nobody talked to her with kindness, with the exception of Nala and Danny. They had both realized she had learned her lesson and forgave her. The same couldn't be said for anyone else. Most gave her looks of disdain; some even followed Mheetu's treatment to her: not talk to her at all. She remained polite, but ended up crying when she was alone. In general, things were not looking good.

****

Danny worked on the engine of the _**Paratus Preliator**_. The ship needed its normal repairs and PMCS, and he knew it needed to be brought up to speed. Simba had the morning rounds, so Danny would be able to focus and making his ship remaining tip-top. But no matter how much he worked on it, he could never completely clean the ship. It would always gather grease and dust, and Danny would always come out dirty. He had decided to take one of his t-shirts and made it his work shirt so he wouldn't stain all of his shirts.

He was cleaning the power train with a rag, making it look clean. Danny stopped to take a sip of his agave energy drink. It was the last of his personal stash that he had since being here. He only had a certain amount, and only used them for certain days, mainly those where he got minimal sleep. Each one reminded him of the taste of back home, making them even more delicious.

Finishing a sip, Danny let out a refreshing sigh. "Man, I wish I had more of these. It would probably help out with the sleep more often by getting a caffeine overload."

The sound of a tool landing on the ground caused him to turn to his right. He couldn't see anything in the area that was moving; he only heard the tool falling. Did he have the tool too far near the edge of the table? "Uh, is anyone there? Anyone?" Only silence answered him, leaving him confused for a moment.

He shrugged. "Oh well." He finished polishing the engine and tossed the rag over near the table. But he didn't look where he was going, and ended up knocking over his energy drink. The contents spilled all over the floor, leaving a small puddle.

Danny kicked the now empty can. "Aw, geez. That was my last one."

He was about to clean it up when Haraka called him. "Hey, Danny! You got a few minutes?"

Danny hung his head. First, the nightmares, then Zira and the Outlanders, and now his last energy drink was spilled all over his ship's floor. Nothing seemed to be going his way. "Yeah, I'm coming," he said. _I'll clean up the mess later. It's not like it will effect the ship's performance._ He walked out of the ship, not noticing the lioness watching him the whole time.

****

Kiara scrounged around the cave for something to do. Today, it seemed to her, was going to be a boring day. There was no training for her, as her mother was already out with the hunting party and her father was on morning rounds. The other cubs felt like sleeping through the morning, leaving her with nothing to do.

She groaned. "I never get to do anything."

A typical kid statement, thinking that things couldn't get any worse. But she was wanting to go out into the lands, but with no marked trail from her father or uncle, she couldn't go out far. She laughed. "Like I even follow dad's trails anyway."

Kiara walked out and surveyed the lands. She could see younglings and adolescent animals venturing the lands, having so much fun. That left her disappointed and sad. She wanted to do something, like playing tag or hide-and-seek or even attempting swimming. Her dad always swam in his day, so why couldn't she. Anything would've been better than just sitting around doing nothing here on Pride Rock. The place had numerous tiers with sparse trees and caves, but after so many years of living on the rock, it got very old going through the same places over and over.

Her train of thought was abruptly knocked off by the figure coming up the slope and continuing up to the summit above: her Uncle Danny. The man and co-king of the Pride Lands was undoubtedly heading up to fix his ship. Otherwise, he would be at his morning rounds. That was the only reason aside from taking off to search for his family.

Kiara snapped her head up as an idea came to her head. "What if I go with him on a search for his family? I wouldn't get in the way much. If anything, I could help him track his family down with my sense of smell."

On her emotional impulse of anticipated excitement, she ran after her uncle, but made sure she was not seen by him. She ducked behind the underside of the slope, but peeked over just enough to see without being seen. Danny walked up the ramp to the inside of his ship. Kiara had always been amazed by the size of the ship. To her, it was a metal beast of prey that ruled the skies like a mighty bird.

Every time, she remained mesmerized by the steel goliath. "I wonder what it's like through Uncle Danny's eyes to see from the skies?"

Kiara ran up the ramp and slinked her way around the room. If it was one thing Danny and her family had taught her well, it was keeping low. But as she neared the table, she was reminded of the stealthy part of her that still needed practice. She bumped into the table she used for cover, and a tool fell from the table. The metal _clank _reverberated in the ship as well as her ears. She mentally slapped herself for her clumsiness.

Danny, who was cleaning something, brought his head up and looked in her direction, but couldn't see her from the dim light. "Uh, is anyone there? Anyone?"

Kiara held her breath. She was so nervous about being discovered that she didn't want to make any sound whatsoever, not even breathing in the silence. _Great going, princess. Way to be on-the-ball with the whole stealth deal._

Her relief came as Danny shrugged. "Oh well."

She let out her breath slowly and regained her normal breathing system. She was so glad that Danny didn't discover her. While she wouldn't have any real punishment if she was found, it helped her practice her silent hunting tactics. Besides, it gave her something to do. However, it seemed like Danny wasn't going to be heading anywhere, just doing a normal routine repair.

Danny got up from where he was sitting, but knocked a can over. It spilled a blue liquid all over the floor. Kiara saw Danny vent his frustration and kicked the can. "Aw, geez. That was my last one."

A moment later, Kiara could hear Haraka's voice outside the ship. "Hey, Danny! You got a few minutes?"

Danny groaned. "Yeah, I'm coming."

He walked out of the ship, leaving Kiara alone. She didn't know what her uncle was fussing over, but it seemed to be over the drink he had. She knew it wasn't water, not purely anyway. It left the adolescent lioness a little curious about the liquid. _What did he call them? Oh, yeah…energy drinks. _

Kiara walked over to where the drink spilled and looked down at the puddle. It wasn't clear like water, and seemed to be mixed with other ingredients. She leaned in and sniffed the liquid. It was powerful, but it did have an appealing fragrance. She gingerly licked the liquid and took in the taste. It seemed to bubble on her tongue for a moment, but the burning sensation settled with a sweet taste that stimulated her senses.

She purred with a gratifying tone. "Wow, this tastes good." Soon, she began licking up the rest of the liquid on the floor.

****

Danny stepped outside to see what Haraka wanted. He had just lost his last energy drink and now his mood wasn't getting any better. Still, a conversation with his majordomo was bound to change that. They had always used their sense of humor to crack jokes on each other, and usually left on a good note.

The king cheetah was sitting near the edge of the summit. Haraka was known enough as Danny's majordomo, but he could easily be spotted from a distance because of his short, black mane and huge stripes going down his back to his tail. He stood out in a crowd, and everyone was beginning to pay him respect for the duty he had undertaken.

He gave the king a head-nod. "What's up, Danny?"

Danny groaned. "Another day, another round, another energy drink lost."

Haraka looked confused. "I take it there's a story behind the last phrase of that statement?"

"I just spilled my last energy drink. I wasn't looking where I was going and ended up kicking it." He snapped his fingers. "I was trying to savor that last drink. It always reminds me of home."

"What makes them different from water?" Haraka asked.

"They have loads of caffeine, an ingredient that helps us humans wake up fast and remain active for most of the day. The first time's always the craziest because your body's not used to it."

"Oh, ok." Haraka shrugged. "Anyways, I wanted to let you know about something."

They both walked down the slope to the entrance of the cave to the pride's den, but instead of going inside, they went up the promontory arch. They stopped halfway up and sat down. Haraka groaned. _He is not going to like this. _"I was out on my morning report when Chumvi came to me. He had something to pass along to you. It was of the utmost importance to deliver, apparently enough to break my gathering of the report."

"Well, if I determine this is not important enough to break you from your report, then let him know he will answer directly to me this evening…and it won't be pleasant."

Haraka deadpanned. "He had found some Outsiders meeting at a cave near a midpoint of Pride Rock and the borders."

Danny's head shot up. He knew that place. It was the cave he had used as a hideout and home for the pride during Scar's rule. The only way they could've found out was if one of them knew of the place and informed Zira. The only candidate that could fill that was Rehema, and she was dead. She probably told Zira long ago, and now they used it as a scout gathering area. "I take back what I said." This was definitely something that had to be addressed, and pronto. "Alright, let Tojo know that I'm gonna need him and Kula with me. You're also with me."

He got up to head back to his ship. Haraka took a step after him. "What are we gonna do?"

"Seal that cave off ASAP." He started walking again. "Get Tojo and Kula now, Haraka."

"I'm on it." Haraka ran past him to head down to a tier that led to the back of Pride Rock. That was where Tojo and Kula were at.

Danny shook his head. _Zira, what are you up to now? _Whatever was going on, he was going to stop it. He wasn't about to let Zira get any sort of foothold in the Pride Lands. He was already mentally slapping himself for not sealing that cave to begin with. Thankfully, things like this could be changed in the blink of an eye. Or in this case, a fuel cell. His ship ran four power cells for fuel with five in rotation, leaving him with one to spare. The cell would be more than enough to seal the cave; it just mattered whether it would be too much. The last thing he needed was any collateral damage.

As he came down to the cave, sudden movement from the slope leading to the summit caught his eye. Danny looked over to see Kiara coming down. But she was more than just coming down; she was a golden blur. Danny watched her run and bounce from rock to rock with blazing speed. She bulldozed through a few cubs, but kept running like there was no tomorrow. She ran into the cave and Danny followed her. "What the heck?"

He went inside to see her practically running on the walls at the speed she was going, and didn't seem to be slowing down. A couple lionesses who were sleeping, groggily woke up and watched Kiara going nuts. "Ohmygoodnessthisissoawesome!!!" Even her speech was a blur.

One of the lionesses groaned and turned toward Danny. "What is the matter with her?"

Danny was at a loss for words. "Uh, I'm not sure. Maybe she's on her happy hour or something." It was a bad joke, but he hoped it would alleviate things for them a little. He heard noise and turned to see a pregnant Nala. She was well over her gestation period, which left some concerned that she might have had a miscarriage. But she assured them that she was still pregnant, but still couldn't explain why she had been pregnant for so long. Danny gave her a nod. "Hey, Nala." He pointed to an energetic Kiara. "Uh, your daughter is going absolutely nuts. Do you know what's wrong with her?"

Nala watched with much confusion as Kiara jumped over the lionesses and stumbled into two more cubs. "I…have no idea. This is not normal behavior, but then again, what is normal behavior with her?"

"Good point," Danny replied. "But still, I don't ever remember her…being like this."

Kiara ran up to them and sat down, if you could call it that. She was barely containing herself, and was shaking terribly from her "berserker mode", and her eyes were wide and crazed. "MomDannythisisamazingI'veneverfeltanythinglikethis!!!"

Danny got down on a knee and raised his hands. "Whoa, slow down a few RPM's. What is up with you? You're going nuts here and running around like you are in a race, acting all happy-go-lucky."

Kiara's smile was incredibly wide. "Iwasinyourship…" She tried to slow down. "…andwatched you workon your ship. You spilled anenergydrink and…"

Danny's eyes widened. "Wait, wait. You were the one in my ship?"

Nala was totally lost. "What is going on here, Danny?"

Kiara spoke. "Yeahand I walked over to the puddleofthe drink…" She didn't seem the slightest bit sad or guilty.

Danny got the picture. "And you drank it, didn't you?"

"Yesidid and ittastedgreat!!"

"Will someone tell me what's going on here?" Nala was starting to sound furious, clearly losing her patience. Danny got up and left Kiara to her rambunctious behavior. He placed a hand on Nala and laughed. It was nearing the point of hysteria for his tone. Nala frowned. "What's so funny?"

Danny stopped laughing, but couldn't hold back the smile. "I spilled my last energy drink. It's a drink loaded with two ingredients called caffeine and sugar. They are meant to wake someone up if they're tired." He stopped to chuckle. "It can also make someone very hyper and uber-energetic. It generally happens to first timers or people who haven't had an energy drink in a while."

"So Kiara has it in her systems." She looked up at him with worried eyes. "Will she die? Is there a cure?"

Danny chuckled. "No, she won't die. And no, there is no cure. We just have to wait it out until she cools down."

Nala nodded, but then realized she was going to be stuck in the den with a crazed daughter. "That means I'm stuck with Kiara for most of the day."

Danny smiled. "Well, I guess that's your problem, not mine." He ran out laughing.

Nala was livid. "Where are you going?"

Danny stopped at the mouth of the den. "I've got some business to attend to. If you're lucky, Kiara will experience the energy crash and fall asleep. She won't be that big of a deal then. Anyway, see you later. Adios! Au revoir! Aufvedersein!" He ran out up to his ship to pick up some supplies.

Nala shook her head. "Humans. They are a very weird species, indeed."

****

Shani dragged the antelope to Pride Rock. After the hunting party had caught their food for the day, she opted to go off on her own. It took a while, but in her mind, it was well worth the time. The antelope was found exploring the fields near the gorge, wandering away from its herd. Shani made the animal pay, and the hunt went unsuspected and undetected. She admitted to herself, she was a little overboard with this, but she had her reasons for hunting on her own.

For the last five months, she was in an emotional slump. The pride made her life miserable, and only the kings and queen forgave her. While it didn't matter what the other pride members did, she was concerned about Mheetu forgiving her. He hardly even spoke to her these days, and she couldn't blame him after what she had done to him.

Since then, she had been going out of her way to please him anyway she could. She would get him food, leave her own place of comfort if he wanted it, and even tried to volunteer for his shifts. Her feelings for him had drastically changed since the day Mheetu had rescued her. Shani had developed an attraction to the young sentinel lion, but his frigidness toward her made anything a difficult chore. Even if he didn't reciprocate her feelings, his forgiveness would be a start.

She sighed. _If only I kept my mouth shut and my feelings to myself. Then none of this wouldn't have happened. _But the past was past. The only thing she could do was take care of the present and future as best as she could.

She dragged the carcass up the slope but didn't go to the cave, but rather a pathway leading to the back of Pride Rock. Shani knew of the place when she saw Mheetu go back there a few times. This time, she knew he was there. She saw him sleeping there this morning, and would do her best to meet him.

The lionesses paid her no mind as she brought the carcass up and around the side of their home. Shani didn't care about them, only about Mheetu. She rounded the corner in hopes that the lion she was looking for would be there. Her hopes were affirmed when not only was he there, but alone. He seemed to be enjoying the shade, since the sun still hadn't come over Pride Rock yet.

Shani dragged the antelope carcass until she was ten feet away. She let go and regained her breath and strength. Dragging a carcass in the sun by yourself was no easy task. She put on her most polite smile and spoke with a similar tone. "Mheetu, I-I brought you some food for you. It's all yours so…"

Mheetu didn't even move, much less speak. That left a very awkward silence between them.

Shani wasn't sure what to say, and tried to come straight. "Mheetu…uh, I'm sorry for what I've…"

"I've heard the 'I'm sorry' speech enough times to say it backwards, Shani." Mheetu got up and faced her. "This is the umpteenth time you've come to me giving me food, among other things. Don't you have anything better to do besides bugging me?"

Shani looked down in submission and sadness. "I know that what I did to you was wrong, and I'm trying to make up for it anyway I can. I just thought that…"

"You thought?" He scoffed in an irritated fashion. "Well, you know what? You thought wrong!"

Shani tried to fight back the tears. "All I want is your forgiveness. Have I hurt you that much that you can't forgive me?"

Mheetu felt the old pain threaten to reopen in his heart. His voice was starting to get raspy. "Yes, you did hurt me that much. And all I want is for you to leave." He faced the sun again, refusing to move his head an inch to the left or the right.

Shani gave in and let the tears fall. It hurt her too much and wished it would all come at once and be gone, but she had been horrible to him for over a year, and thought that maybe that's how much she'd have to deal with before he would forgive her. She was starting to feel the torment he faced from her, and felt worse than the dirt she was standing upon. She turned away. "I love you."

Mheetu's anger and pain changed into confusion. _Did she just…?_ He turned around. "What? What do you mean?"

But she was already gone.

****

Zira, Nuka, and a few more Outlanders worked their way back to the cave. They had been spending the morning observing the behavior of the lions at Pride Rock. Once certain that they couldn't get much more information without getting caught, they decided to head back to the cave to rest and prepare to head back to the termite mound.

Nuka had to stop at a mud pit. Zira consented, given how many termites had taken a liking to his body. When he was out, he washed off and was as good as new. He knew he had made the mistake of believing his mother would promise him the throne for their pride, but knew nothing could be done except to do his best to prove he still deserved the throne. But no matter how hard he tried, he never got the chance. The little rat Kovu was being trained up for that and now sported a more powerful body than Nuka did. _If only I had killed him while he was still young. Now, it's too late._

Zira had much on her mind. She had been patient for two years in training Kovu, but he was not yet ready to take the throne. He still required more training and maturity before he could ascend to his ultimate destiny. Really, the only thing she wanted was to cut Simba to ribbons very slowly, and Nala as well. The difficult decision was whether to kill Kiara or not. If Simba's daughter submitted to Kovu's rule, then Zira would have no problem letting her live. If she demonstrated herself to be a problem, Zira had no doubt Vitani could do away with her easily.

Vitani was the pride of Zira's hunter training. Vitani had dedicated herself to hunting and being a warrior, and seemed to be accomplishing that task with relative ease. She was outperforming most of the Outlanders in hunting, and had not lost many fights. The losses were mainly due to lack of experience and age. But it wouldn't be long before she would surpass all of them. Even Zira was knew she would be beaten, but at least she was able to pass it on to someone else.

Nuka walked up to his mother. "So, what's our next course of action?"

Zira kept walking, but did not bother to look his way. "We meet back at the cave and continue plotting out our plan. In time, Kiara will have to go on a solo hunt. That is when we will move in."

Nuka rolled his eyes. "That's all we do. We waste to much time talking. We must act, and act now."

Zira snarled at him. "Do you think we don't want to act!? I've been in agony over waiting this through, but we must take our time in sorting this thoroughly. If we are going to do this, we must do it right. Part of being a leader is being patient and taking your time." She narrowed her eyes. "And as I seem to recall, you are the last person to talk about action after that botched attempt to kill that little tramp, Shani."

That shut him up. He hated being reminded about that miserable failure. But Nuka had to live with it. The one thing he hated having to live with was that termite mound for the last two years, and he just wanted to get out of that place. He just muttered to himself and cursed under his breath.

They all came to the cave. It was the perfect place to convene in secret, with the grass and the dead trees covering the entrance. No one had discovered the place, and they intended to keep it that way. They stopped before heading in for a moment.

Zira surveyed the area to make sure that no one was watching them. When she was satisfied, she motioned the lionesses forward. "Let's get inside."

One of the lionesses sighed. "Boy, this sure beats the heck out of being by the termite mound."

Nuka chuckled. "Not compared with seeing your ugly face."

The lioness snarled. This particular lioness was one Nuka was not too fond of, and they fought bitterly between each other. They would make nasty comments about each other, even to their faces. Sometimes, it would even lead to fights. "Are you looking for a problem?"

"No, I simply don't like you," Nuka replied.

"I agree with Nuka," a voice behind them said sardonically. "But then, I'm not particularly crazy about any of you."

Zira's eyes flashed. She knew that voice all too well. It was the one that killed her beloved Scar to take the throne, the one who came into her world and turned it upside down. She turned around to face the source of the voice. "Nice of you to be our guest, Danny. How's the scar?"

The man found it hard to ignore the dual-striped scar that went over his right eye from when she attacked him the night he ran away to find help. Danny rubbed his thumb and finger together, as though he were grinding some sand to the ground. "Last I recall, you're the guests, and some unwelcome ones at that." Tojo, Kula, and Haraka appeared next to him. Danny could handle this by himself with his rifle, but he brought them to avoid any physical confrontations or to even a fight if there were too many.

Zira knew this as well. She knew Danny's game after all these years. He would resort to fighting if he absolutely had to, but usually tried to sort things out the peaceful way. Still, after the attempted overthrow, Danny remained in a state of unpredictability. "These are Scar's lands, not yours. You are the unwelcome guests here, because you robbed Scar of his throne."

Tojo narrowed his eyes. "Then I guess we are just like Scar, since he robbed the throne from Mufasa."

"Mufasa was trampled by the stampede of wildebeests trying to rescue Simba from wandering into the gorge," Zira shot back.

Danny kept his cool. "One, Simba didn't wander off into the gorge. Scar led him there, saying Mufasa had a surprise for him. Second, and this is the more important part, Scar admitted publicly that he killed Mufasa. Of course, you and Nuka were nowhere to be found to hear it."

Zira was furious. "You lie! Scar never…"

Danny brought his M4 up and aimed it in Zira's general direction. "Shut your mouth, you piece of trash." He was not going to play anymore games. He wanted them gone or he would do that for them.

Zira smirked. "Or what, human? You gonna shoot me?"

Danny deadpanned. "I can do that. It'll make life better for us if you were no longer part of this world." He took aim, and centered his sights on her head. He flipped the safety off and placed his finger on the trigger.

Tojo and the others knew this seemed to be going down this way, sooner or later. Zira believed this as well, but didn't believe he would do it. She smiled. "Perhaps I was wrong. Maybe you do have the makings of Scar in you after all."

Danny hesitated. He knew she was playing her mind games on him, to see if he would actually kill her. She would see in that instant who he really was like on the inside. He smiled and pulled the action back on his rifle. "I guess I do."

That brought her head up. She wasn't expecting that answer, and for the first time Danny had ever known her, she was afraid. He had won the mind game. Danny squeezed the trigger, and the bullet rocketed out of the chamber and barrel, and towards Zira. But it didn't hit her; it zipped so close to her head that she could feel the heat from the shot, but it missed. The screaming shot tore past her and into the cave to it a metallic gray cylindrical object inside.

An explosion shook the ground and knocked the Outlanders off their feet. Huge chunks of earth and branches flew up into the air and landed all around them. One particularly large branch landed on Zira's head, causing a headache to swell up immediately. The fuel cell split upon impact of the round and caved in the walls, sealing the hideout for good. No one would be able to go in there anymore.

Zira got up and turned to see the Outlanders' hideout now a smoking, fiery remains. She was only thankful that none of them were inside when it exploded. _I don't know how he did it, but Danny is going to pay for everything he has done._

She turned to stare daggers down his face. Danny played it off coolly. "I guess I missed. I'll have to work on that." Tojo and Haraka laughed.

Kula remained serious. "Time for you to get back to your termite mound, Zira."

Zira smiled. "I think I should. Kovu and Vitani will love to see me again." She knew from the pained looks Tojo and Kula were giving her that she had struck a nerve. "You know, I am proud of how they are perfect protégés of myself and Scar. So cold, so conniving, so…bloodthirsty. You know…"

A gunshot that grazed her paw caused her to shut up. Danny's rifle was trailing smoke from the barrel. Danny pointed at Kula. "You heard what she said." He patted his weapon. "I may be merciful but I'm willing to make exceptions. If I can kill a lioness who I was close to, like Rehema, what makes you think I won't kill you?"

Danny had a point, and one more smart remark or nerve striker could push him over the top. Zira decided not to take that chance. Without another word, she and the other Outlanders left. Danny noticed Zira left with a little limp, courtesy of the warning shot he had given her. At least the mission was accomplished.

_Now, another mission needs accomplishing. _Danny turned to see Kula crying, with Tojo trying to comfort her. But it seemed that he was just as hurt as she was, and why shouldn't he be? Zira had taken away their cubs and was raising them to be evil rulers in the future. Aside from death, nothing could be worse than having your kids abducted and raised to be a pompous tyrant like Scar.

Danny wrapped his arms around them. He didn't know because he never had kids, but he understood to an extent. Leaning in close to Kula's ear, he whispered, "As long as there is breath in me, I will do everything in my power to rescue them when the time is right." He looked between the two lions, locking eyes with both of them. "I got a feeling they will be back here, and we need to make sure that we can convince them of what really is going on."

Tojo nuzzled his mate. "Do you think there is any hope for them?"

Danny gave him his most reassuring smile. "They are being trained by the falsehood of Zira's teachings, what she believes is the truth, even when it is disproved. If we can get them to understand, I think Zira's plan can backfire."

Kula, who recovered from her sobbing, said, "I hope you're right, sire. I hope you're right."

****

Danny returned to Pride Rock with the others. It was one heck of a morning and early afternoon, and now they were hungry. They had already stopped to get a drink at the waterhole, and now they needed to fill their hunger. The hunting party came back with some food for them, and they were more than glad to eat. But Danny noticed a trail of blood leading around the back of Pride Rock, so instead of eating some of the kill with Tojo, Kula, and Haraka, he decided to investigate first.

He watched the trail get bigger and bigger as he came closer to the source. Danny soon saw the antelope, and the lion beyond it, looking out towards the lands. The lion was all too familiar: Mheetu.

Danny found some stones and sticks and formed a makeshift cooking platform. He took a lighter out of his pocket and lit the sticks. Soon, the fire was flaring up. Danny then took his knife and cut huge pieces out of the antelope and let them cook over the fire. He had ignored Mheetu for the moment. One, he seemed like he needed a little more time without conversation. Two, Danny was hungry and wanted to have his food ready soon.

Mheetu didn't turn, but he spoke. "You know, that is _my _antelope there."

"Yeah, but I know you won't eat all of it. Besides, I want you to try some meat when it's cooked. Trust me, you'll like it."

"I'm actually not that hungry."

"Would it have anything to do with the one who _brought _this antelope to you?" Danny waited for an answer, even a snappy comeback, but Mheetu was silent. "Come on, pal. I know Shani's been doing for the last couple months. Matter of fact, I think everyone does. But now _you _don't seem to be acting like yourself."

Mheetu shook his head as he turned to face his king. "What are you talking about?"

Danny flipped the pieces of meat over. "I'm talking about being able to forgive Shani for what she did. I know it hurt, but that's no excuse to not forgive her."

"Well, put yourself in my shoes. Would you be compelled to forgive her?"

"I would after five months, especially after everything she's done to not only get your attention but to please you as well." Danny sighed. "You really should forgive her. Everyone needs forgiveness."

Mheetu's eyes looked like iced daggers. "You think she even deserves it?"

Danny pulled out his water canteen and took a sip. "I remember hearing a story…"

"Oh no, not another one of 'Danny's Story Times.'" Mheetu said sarcastically.

Danny chuckled. "Hey, the Bible always has a good lesson to come out of." He set the canteen down. "There was a servant, who owed a huge sum of money to his master. Money is what we use to acquire goods and supplies," he explained. "Anyway, the servant couldn't pay his master and the master ordered to have him thrown in jail. But the servant begged him not to and promised to repay the debt. The master was so moved that he cancelled the debt entirely."

Mheetu frowned. "So he got off cleanly?"

"At first," Danny replied. "But that servant went out to find one of his servants who owed him money, which that servant owed him hardly anything. The man choked his servant and demanded to pay him back. Like him with his master, his servant couldn't pay him and promised to repay the debt and begged not to be thrown in jail. But the man ignored him and sent him to jail."

Mheetu was stunned. "Why would he do that? If he was just lifted from a heavy debt from his master, why couldn't he do the same?"

"I'm getting to that. It was because that man was unmerciful, unforgiving. But it doesn't end here. The master of the first servant found out and brought him back. He demanded why the servant couldn't show mercy on his own, especially for a debt much smaller. So because of that, the master reinstated the debt and threw that servant in jail."

Mheetu didn't know what to say. The sentinel did understand the entire story, however. "So, you think that _I _am like the unmerciful servant?"

"Yes, and you need to accept the fact that she's sorry for what she did. If you were in her position, wouldn't you want to be forgiven?"

Mheetu nodded. He was finally understanding why Danny was always relentless in getting to the bottom of things, but he at least was thorough in doing so. Yes, he would want to be forgiven, and he would know exactly what she felt if someone wouldn't forgive him. "I see what you mean."

Danny took in a deep breath. "Look, I can't make you forgive her, but I think you should. To be honest, I think Shani is far from what she was five months ago. I think she not only looks up to you, but I think she cares about you. I mean, why else would she keep trying to please you and gain your favor?"

"I know that. That's what confuses me." Mheetu closed his eyes. "I'm not sure how I feel about her now. I don't know if I hate her…or care about her." He opened them and looked Danny dead in the eyes. "I think I might even love her."

Danny handed him a piece of cooked antelope meat. He had seen this coming for the last two months, and wouldn't be surprised if something clicked between them. _For a change_. "Well then, why don't you find out?"

"What?" Mheetu asked, clearly showing his dense side.

Danny looked up to the sky in frustration. "Why me? Why do these things always happen to me?" He looked back at Mheetu. "Ask her to go with you on a walk, you dolt. Not a patrol, not a morning round, just a simple walk. Square some things away with her, but I think forgiving her would help you figure out your feelings right now."

For the first time all day, Mheetu smiled. "You know, you're right. I probably need to go forgive her, and I think I will ask her. I just hope it works."

"Me too," Danny sounded relieved.

Mheetu took a bite out of the antelope and spat it out nearly as fast. "Ow! It's hot."

Danny gave him an exasperated look. "That's what happens when you eat it right off the grill. Wait until it cools off."

****

Nala finally was able to get Kiara to calm down. She was about to tear her fur out if her daughter didn't hold still for two minutes. But after two hours, she finally went into what Danny called the caffeine overload and fell asleep. To Danny, it was totally comical and enjoyable. To Nala and the rest of the pride, it was an absolute nightmare.

Kiara spent a few hours burning off the caffeine, but that was torture to the others. She was bulldozing through cubs and adolescent lions, all the while jumping over the older lionesses. Sometimes her feet would clip the heads of a few sleeping lionesses, which only added to the aggravation. It was great for some cubs because she would play with them for nearly an eternity. That was the one silver lining: the cubs would be occupied and not bothering their mothers and aunts.

Nala was already moody, and this was about to push her over the edge. She felt so relieved that Kiara was finally sleep along with the rest of the cubs. Sarabi came up to her. "Nala, are you okay?"

"Personally, I'd ask me tomorrow," she said dryly. "But if you must know, I'm going to kill Danny for letting her drink that."

The senior lioness smiled. "I don't think Danny just _let _her drink it. He spilled it by accident and didn't even know Kiara was in the ship, so he decided to wait until he was done listening to Haraka. If he knew she was in there, I'm sure he would've cleaned up the mess."

Nala grumbled. "You're right, but this was a hassle I would've rather wished never happened."

"You and me both."

They watched everyone sleep. Now that the ruckus was over, things definitely settled down. Everyone had eaten and had fallen asleep soon after. Everything seemed so peaceful, but sometimes that could be the perfect concealment for something bad to happen. Peace was great, but it had to be watched at all times. One of the worst things was overconfidence, and Nala and Sarabi wondered if the same was happening to them simply because Zira's Outsiders hadn't really been heard from in a while.

Then the thought of Shani entered into Nala's mind. "Have you seen Shani anywhere?"

Sarabi shook her head. "No, why?"

"It's just that I haven't seen her in a while. Last I saw, she was heading around the bend to the back of Pride Rock."

Sarabi eyed her with seriousness before smiling. "I think it's because she was trying to make amends to Mheetu." Nala looked up to see the smile her mother-in-law wore. It was the same smile she had when Simba and Nala had when they got together. "I think she has feelings for him."

Nala returned the smile, albeit a glum one. "Sadly, Mheetu hasn't returned the feelings. But then again, it's kinda hard not to blame him. She did make his life a living hell for over thirteen months."

"But I can understand why she did it," Sarabi replied.

Now she had Nala's full attention. It was not something she was expecting to hear, but then again this was Sarabi. She had one of the softest hearts for the rest of the pride, which is why everyone looked up to her, even Nala. "What do you mean?"

"Shani lost Geena, remember? They were so close, you would think they were sisters," Sarabi struggled to keep the pain off of her face. "When Geena died, Shani had changed. She was broken, hurt. When Tojo, Mheetu, and all the other cubs returned to fight Scar, Shani was one of the few who didn't like them. She felt jealous that she, Aziza, and Geena had to live under Scar's reign; Geena's death only increased that attitude."

Nala was speechless. She remembered how Shani was after Geena's death, and understood why she would verbally lash out against the sentinels. She nodded. "That explains a lot. Still, that doesn't excuse her for what she did to Mheetu. It was downright cruel."

"I agree with you. I never said I believed she was innocent, not by a long shot in this case. I just wanted to make sure you understood the why."

Nala looked out of the cave toward the promontory. Shani had been a lot different and it seemed as though some scars in her life had yet to heal. But she made some mistakes as of recently, and now she was paying the price. The question was: when would the price end? She walked outside with Sarabi.

For the first time in a while, a huge cloud formation was beginning to eclipse the sun, an indication that it was going to rain. When in comes to Africa, when it rains, it pours. A few booms of thunder confirmed that. Most of the lions were inside, with the exception of Simba, Danny, Mheetu, Chumvi, and Shani. They knew the drill when it came to rain: adjourn any scheduled rulings, rounds, and patrols. Then return to Pride Rock.

Nala ran to the side of the promontory. In the distance, she could see Simba and what looked like Zazu. They were coming this way. Nala looked over to Sarabi, who was observing the other side. "I see Simba and Zazu. They're coming in."

Sarabi looked back. "Chumvi's near the river, and he seems to be heading this way."

Nala frowned. _That's two of five accounted for?_ "I wonder where Danny and Mheetu are at?"

"Right behind you," Mheetu said. He and Danny came up from around the bend, both wearing optimistic expressions. Their conversation definitely went well. Now the only thing that had to be done was follow through. "Were you looking for us?"

Nala could definitely see they were in brighter moods, which was especially good in Mheetu's case. He had remained polite over the last couple months, but his mood was clearly dry. That was not the case now. "We were just keeping accountability of everyone. So far, most of the pride is present and all but one is accounted for."

Danny walked up to her. "Who would that be?"

Nala smirked. "I'll give you three guesses, but you're only gonna need one."

"Shani." Danny and Mheetu said at the same time. They figured if anyone wouldn't be there, it would be Shani. In any other case, they would've just waited until she returned. This wasn't just any other case. With a thunderstorm coming, they wanted everyone back into the den until the storm was over.

Danny's face went slack. "Do you have any idea where she went? Where she might go?"

"Not a clue," Nala replied. "But if she's not back by the time the storm hits, she needs to find some shelter until it passes by."

No one had any answers for Shani's whereabouts. Mheetu was left clueless. He wanted to go out after her and square their issues away, but without a known location, she could be anywhere. His worst fear would be what she might do after what he had said to her. She might leave the Pride Lands, or even… Mheetu felt an emotional thud hit him hard. _Or even commit suicide. _If she did, or got killed by some other means, he would never forgive himself. _There must be a place she could be at, but where?_

Suddenly, a place he remembered came to mind. A place the lion could remember oh so well. It was the only other place he could think of where Shani might be, and it was the only lead he could go on. The only obstacle was braving the storm. He would face it bravely, and would push himself to the limits if it meant finding her. He turned to the others. "I know where she might be, guys."

Sarabi eyed him. "Where is she?"

"No time to explain right now. I'm going out after her."

Nala stopped him. "Hold on. Let me send some lionesses to come with you."

Mheetu shook his head. "Don't even think about it. I'm better on my own." With that, he ran down the slope and off to the southwest, with nothing about to deter him from his goal.

Danny, Sarabi, and Nala watched the sentinel run off in that direction. Nala was the most concerned. She didn't want anything to happen to her friend. Mheetu was like Danny: so close to her that he was a brother to her. When they were younger, they were very close. Only Simba was closer to Nala. With the storm approaching, her concerns were justified.

Sarabi a mix of uncertainty. She did have confidence in Mheetu, but wasn't sure what was going on. She didn't have the full picture to the situation, only the past. She wasn't as concerned as Nala was, but she was a little worried given the storm.

Danny was clearly the most confident, as evidenced by his expression. He knew what had to be done between Mheetu and Shani, and he knew Mheetu would not fail his mission. He was a true soldier, one of honor, integrity, selfless service, and personal courage. Danny and Mheetu were cut from the same cloth, and it showed among the others.

Nala looked at Sarabi. "Could you get two lionesses to follow Mheetu?"

Danny held his hand up. "No, don't send anyone."

"But Danny, he might need some-"

"Mheetu can handle himself," Danny cut her off. "He's the most self-sufficient sentinel of the four, in my opinion." He looked at the two lionesses who were his surrogate mother and sister. "Besides, he needs to work things out with Shani. It would be better if they were alone to do it, and not with anyone else around."

Nala relented. "Alright, alright." She looked out and watched the tiny dot in her view that was Mheetu. "I just hope nothing happens to them."

"I think they'll be fine," Danny replied. "Now, let's get inside."

"Yeah, we should-" Nala stopped mid-sentence and struggled to maintain her balance. "Oh, boy." Her breathing increased and her heart rate did likewise. She knew what was happening. Sarabi did too.

Danny didn't. "What's wrong, Nala? Are you okay?"

She didn't answer with words, only a moan of pain. Sarabi answered for her. "She's going into labor, Danny. She's about to give birth."

Danny took a moment to process the thought. Then he smiled with excitement. Nala was going to have her litter. "Well, it's about time. It was a little over the expectation mark, but-" He stopped when he realized the entire situation. The storm was coming and Nala was about to give birth. He looked at his mother pitifully. "Do we have to sit outside in the rain while we wait?"

Nala let out another moan, this one a little louder. Sarabi again spoke. "I'm afraid so, Danny. Then again, we might be able to make an exception, but her painful roaring will be extremely loud with the cave's acoustics." Her voice was tinted with amusement.

Danny groaned. _You and your timing, Nala._ "Great," he said dryly. "Get soaked in the rain or go deaf in the cave. I love having options."

****

Mheetu ran across the plains and waterholes, but that wasn't his target. The one place he could think of that Shani would be at, it would be the rocky terrain where she first started lashing out at him heavily. It was only a hunch, but his instincts where seldom wrong when it came to someone's location. If she wasn't here, then he wouldn't know where else to find her.

Before he reached within fifty meters of the rocks, rain began spattering all over the ground. Within seconds, the rain came on with full force. It was pouring, and that left Mheetu without his sense of smell to find Shani. He would have to track her by sight and sound, but even his hearing was all but compromised from the storm. He groaned. "I need a vacation after this."

He came up to the rocks, being very careful. The rock terrain was tricky enough, but with the rain, it could become a lethal danger to the careless. Mheetu navigated his way through the land in hopes to find Shani. It was no easy task, as he found himself nearly slipping at every angled piece of rock he stepped on. Still, he was determined to find her, not letting any obstacle get in his way.

"Where could she be? I know she's here. I just know it," Mheetu said.

He jumped over a few gaps to continue his progress. But on his latest jump, he ran too fast, and when he landed on the other side, he found himself sliding along the smooth rock a good distance. Soon, he came to a corner; the only thing that stopped his slide was the wall. Pain shot through his forepaw, but it went away soon enough.

By this point, his mane was matted and his fur soaked from the pouring rain. Lightning flashed followed by a clap of thunder. He flinched. "Geez. Well this just keeps gettin' better and better."

A new sound caught his ears. This wasn't rain or rocks rolling or even Timon and Pumbaa. It was sobbing, and the sobbing was familiar. Mheetu knew who it was. _Shani…that's Shani._ Soon, his enhanced sense of hearing kicked in and he slowly moved to the source of the crying.

**What will happen next? Please review and don't be afraid to give constructive criticism on the romance…I know it's not the best. By the way, whoever guesses the energy drink i used in this chapter gets a preview of the next chapter. Give the answer in your review, plz.**


	12. Love is a Verb, Pt II: Wedding Bells

Shani was at a crossroads in her life now. For the past five months, she had been doing everything in her power to impress and please Mheetu in hopes of earning his forgiveness. But every single time, he rejected her attempts. He was very frigid to her for her treatment toward him, and she could understand since it was over a year of torture and she had only been going through this torture for half the time. Maybe she would have to go through another five to six months of this before she fully understood.

When Mheetu rejected her earlier, she wondered if there was any hope for a second chance. It seemed that she had made a permanent mistake, and now had three choices: either stay and hope for the best, all the while enduring the pain, run away from the Pride Lands, or put herself out of her misery.

The first option was what she had been sticking with, but now seemed bleak. The second was ludicrous, but it still remained an option. She could leave the lands and find a new pride, hopefully be accepted and start her life all over again. The third would end all pain in an instant, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to take that chance.

All she wanted was Mheetu's forgiveness, and an end to the pain. Unfortunately, it seemed she couldn't have both, leaving her with limited options.

Suddenly, the clouds began releasing the rain on the lands, and she was soon soaked. She just laid down on the ground. She didn't care if she was wet, she was too emotionally distraught. She remembered the dream she had, when she was stuck in the snow. Mheetu said they could've been friends, but not anymore. He slammed the door and left her in the cold.

She began sobbing. All of the emotional turmoil was reaching a climaxing point, and she just broke down. It just seemed as though life had dealt her a poor set of cards. Ever since birth, she had nothing really special. The closest thing was her friend Geena, and she was gone. Aziza was a good friend, but not as close as Geena was. Now, she practically had no one because of what she had done, and no one understood why she did it. They only thought she was just a cruel lioness, who had a bias to Mheetu and the other sentinels.

She looked up at the sky. "Lord, I know you're up there. But how much more of this pain must I got through. I know what I did was wrong and I'm sorry about that. I just want Mheetu to forgive me." She sunk her head. "I just want an ounce of hope every now and then."

"Then I might be just what you're looking for."

Shani shook her head. "I don't want some…" She stopped. That voice was familiar, and that voice was coming from behind. "Mheetu!?" She asked before she turned her head around to face him.

Mheetu would've looked funny with his matted mane if not for the situation. But this Mheetu was different. He didn't have the emotionless expression he carried for the last five months, nor the irritated and sometimes angry one he shared when he couldn't control his emotions. For the first time in, what seemed like an eternity, he was smiling.

To Shani, it was the most amazing moment in her life. To see that smile from him seemed to lift all of the emotional burden off of her back. She gave him her sweetest smile, and she ran up to him in ecstatic fashion. "How did you find me!?" She pressed against him so hard, so fast, that she nearly knocked him over.

Mheetu couldn't help but be surprised, but he maintained his smile. "Wow. If I'd known I'd get this kind of welcome, I would've tried to find you sooner." He walked past her, leaving her in a confused manner. "Come on, there's a small cave up ahead."

They ran about twenty yards before coming to a cave that was angled up to give a fantastic view of the Pride Lands. It accommodate four lions, but that was about it. It was more than enough for Mheetu and Shani. They both shook as much water out as they could, but it didn't do much. They were so soaked from the rain that it would take a nice, sunny day to dry off.

Shani and Mheetu locked eyes as Shani spoke. "Mheetu, I know you've heard this a thousand times coming from me. I really am sorry for what I had done to you. I was jealous of the lifestyle you grew up in compared to the cesspool type I had to live through. It was no reason to do what I did to you, berating you all those months."

Mheetu nodded. "What you did to me really hurt, and I can never erase those memories." He saw her look down at the ground and nod in agreement and shame. He nudged her. "But I forgive you, Shani."

Suddenly, the emotional umbrella that had contained Shani for so long had finally opened, taking away her emotional pain. Mheetu had finally done the thing she desired for the last five months: he forgave her. She looked up with a hopeful smile. "Really?"

"Yes, really." He chuckled. "I couldn't stay mad at you, forever."

He walked over to look at the lands. The lightning lit up the skies and land, illuminating it in a shade of blue. "Over the last few weeks I've been thinking about things. Mainly about us, you and me."

Shani listened to him intently. She had no idea where this would go, but it sounded hopeful. "Go on."

"Anyway, I've been wondering if I could ever forgive you and what would happen to us afterwards. Today, I finally realized where my feelings are at. My feelings toward you have grown stronger, and I truly appreciate everything you've been doing for me." He watched her face flush red out of shyness and an inability to think of something to say. "But I was afraid of the pain returning to me. That's why I've been doing a little lashing out of my own, particularly today. I did it as a means to protect myself."

Shani nodded. "I understand. So what does all of this mean?"

Mheetu turned and faced her. "I've always wanted to be married to a lioness someday, a lioness very strong. To have someone by my side everyday, and I'm not just talking about patrols."

Shani smiled enigmatically. "There are many lionesses in the pride who would love to be your mate, Mheetu."

"That's true, but I want a lioness who loves me just as much as I love her. I'm sure some of them love me, but I don't love them that way." He closed his eyes. "You see…the lioness I love is someone I have begun to respect and care for."

Shani felt her heart fluttering. She drew closer. "W-Who is this lioness?"

He smiled at her. "I'm staring at her." At this, Shani turned around. She was already beginning to tear up, but she didn't want to show it. Mheetu had already seen her smile, so he knew she wasn't rejecting him. "The way I cared about you before this whole fiasco…I still feel that way, only more."

Shani was trying hard not to cry. She had gone from despair to absolute happiness in half an hour. _Oh, God. Please don't let this be a dream. _Mheetu was practically pouring his heart out to her, and this was something she couldn't see coming for at least a year, if not more. "You do?"

Mheetu's smile took on a more subdued approach. "I know this is something of an abrupt thing given how I was feeling this morning, but truthfully, the feelings that I thought were hatred for you was actually love. I just never let myself see it."

He paused for a moment. He wasn't sure how to sum it up. _How do I say this to her?_ "There's no telling what could happen to me as a sentinel. The dangers involved in the job. But as long as you love me, it will always be worth coming home to you."

Shani could hold back the tears anymore. She cried silently. Her heart was doing backflips and somersaults at the moment with no intention of stopping. Mheetu had confessed his feelings for her and had forgiven her at the same time. It was like a dream come true for her. "I-I can't stop crying. Is this all a dream? Is this actually real?"

Suddenly, Mheetu came up beside her and nuzzled her lovingly. The act took her by surprised, but she returned it. The warmth of his body sent electrifying jolts through her entire body and heart. His soft mane, though still damp, made her feel warm and at ease. She let out another sob of joy followed by a loving moan. She leaned against him as Mheetu rested his head on hers. The two enjoyed the embrace for as long as they could, with the weather having no chance of raining out their day parade.

Mheetu leaned in close to Shani's ear. "I love you, Shani. With all my heart." He said it somewhat quickly because he was nervous about saying it. But now, he had said it, and was filled with elation.

Shani sniffed. "I love you too, Mheetu. With all of my heart." She let out a loving sigh. _Oh, Mheetu. My Mheetu. _This was truly a moment she would treasure in her heart for as long as she lived. "Mheetu, this is the best day of my life. I can't tell you how happy I am right now."

Mheetu brushed a paw up against her. "Oh, I have a good idea." His tone took on a more seductive, romantic side.

This caused her to blush fiercely. "Well, well. This is a side of you I've never heard of before."

"I was saving it for someone special."

"You really know how to impress a girl, don't you?" Shani pulled back. "I have a question to ask you. When did you know how you _truly_ felt about me?"

"Just today, actually," Mheetu replied. "During a conversation with Danny not too long ago."

Shani smiled. "He can do that, can't he?"

"He helped get some sense into me while we talked. He did it by telling a story."

Shani blinked. "He threatened me with a gun to get some sense into me."

Mheetu looked at her, unbelievably. "Get out."

She nodded. "No really, he did. It was when he was confronting me about the whole issue with the two of us." She shrugged. "I guess I deserved it at the time." She looked outside. "It doesn't look like the storm's gonna clear up. What do we do now?"

Mheetu smiled. "Right now, just wait. And with you, that is fine by me."

"I couldn't have said it better myself," Shani replied cheerfully.

It surprised Mheetu at how much more beautiful Shani was now that she was more cheerful and kind. She was more like an angel, his angel. They both laid down next to each other. Shani rested her head in Mheetu's black mane while Mheetu placed his chin on her head. They both exchanged "I love you's" and closed their eyes. Shani couldn't take in all of the emotions coursing through her. She was in love with Mheetu, and he was in love with her. Things couldn't have been better.

For the first time in her life, she was truly happy.

****

The whole pride waited anxiously outside. Simba had ordered the pride remain outside while the birth was taking place. Only Zainabu, Rafiki, and Sarabi were allowed inside. The others complained about the pouring rain, but Simba refused to let them in. He didn't like it any more than he did, but Nala would want her privacy while she was in labor. Besides, her roars of pain would make the time in the cave anything but comforting for the pride's ears.

Danny had thought about bringing them under his ship for protection from the rain, but that was dismissed just as fast as it came. Being in an elevated position during a thunderstorm would be the last thing to do, especially under something metal. The lower den was the only other option besides sitting in the rain, but there was no way it would shelter the whole pride.

So instead of just sitting there, Danny decided to fly the ship down to the lower den to provide extra cover. The pride followed and shook out as much water as possible from their fur. It didn't do much, but it was the best they could do. Danny kept the ship running and used the air vents to heat up the area and dry them off. There was no worry for exhaust fumes poisoning all of them, so he went through with the decision.

Simba walked around the area, checking on each member of the pride. They were soaked, but the vents were helping. The cubs, in spite of the rain, remained in a playful mood. That is, except Kiara. She was woken up only to get out of the cave and came down to the den. Once settled, the adolescent lioness was back to sleep. No doubt she was still feeling the effects of a caffeine overload.

Simba laughed when he had heard the story about Kiara drinking one of Danny's drinks. He only wished he could've seen it, but the pride told him he was lucky not to be around to keep her under control. The only thing he wanted, though, was to make sure she wasn't hurt.

He walked by a lioness with cubs. "Hey, how are your cubs?"

The lioness smiled. "They're fine, your Majesty, but they're frightened by the thunderstorms."

Simba smiled slightly. _Interesting…I used to love thunderstorms as a kid._ "Well, good. As long as they're alright. And you?"

She dipped her head. "Other than being soaked, I'm doing fine. Thank you, sire."

"You are most welcome," he replied as he moved on. The rest of the pride seemed to be enjoying the hot air being produced from the _**Preliator**_ that was sheltering them from the rain. Most were sleeping, but would snap their heads up and the booms of thunder. Most of the older lionesses were used to it, and didn't wake up from the thunder once asleep. Simba watched Tojo and Chumvi with Kula and Aziza, trying to shake the water out, only to have their manes poof out. The lionesses laughed while the lions tried their best to hide their reddened faces.

But the one person Simba couldn't see was Danny. He was nowhere in sight, and Simba never saw him walk over to the lower den. The only other place he could be in was his ship.

Inside, Danny was deep in thought. He was thinking about Mheetu and Shani. The latter was nowhere to be found while the former went out to find her. He wasn't worried, but he was slightly concerned. After all, it was pouring and thundering out there. The man was also thinking about the events that happened between him and Shani five months ago.

He felt guilty. He knew he did the right thing by confronting her about harassing Mheetu, but his methods could've been better. She was no doubt frightened by the use of his pistol. He knew he wasn't gonna use it, but Shani didn't know that. She was absolutely terrified, and while he wanted her to feel the pain she was giving out to Mheetu, his methods were pushing it.

Another thing on his mind was about him staying. Before, he had given it some thought, but never made any decisions on the subject. Recently, he been thinking about actually leaving the Pride Lands and moving on to find his family, but wasn't sure about making a decision. Now, he had all but said it out loud on what he was going to do. Danny didn't have much else to do besides rounds and playing with the cubs. But that was about it. The lands were at peace once again and only had to worry about Zira prowling around. Simba and the others could take of those bandits without Danny, in spite of the huge advantage lost by his departure.

The problem was telling the pride. They would, at the very least, sorely miss him. But he was sure that all of the pride did not want him to leave them. The older pride members, for the most part, would understand. The younger ones would be less likely to, and would be the most emotional.

The real trick to that was telling Zainabu. Danny sighed. Zainabu was the closest to him, and they shared many great moments together. As far as unconditional love was concerned, they had both fallen for each other. Sadly, they were two different species. It would never work out between them, and while Danny knew that, Zainabu would refuse to accept it. She would take his departure the worst out of anyone, and quite possibly might never be the same again.

Danny heard paw steps from behind and figured it was either Simba or Zainabu. He half-turned. "How is the pride doing?"

Simba's voice returned. "They're soaked and cold, but the air vents from the ship are helping. Still no word from Mheetu and Shani, though." Danny was silent, he just remained staring out the cockpit, which was facing out toward the grasslands. Simba came closer. "Danny, are you okay?"

"I was testing her integrity, Simba."

Danny forgot that he was speaking his thoughts, and Simba didn't know what he was talking about. "What do you mean?"

Simba sat as Danny swung his swivel chair around. "Shani, when I confronted her about berating Mheetu. But, uh---" he looked up at the lion. "---maybe I carried it too far. Threatened her with my pistol. Stupid." He cursed under his breath.

Simba didn't really know what to say, and offered the only advice he could give. "Nobody's perfect, Danny." He didn't know what else to say, so he turned to leave.

He stopped when Danny called him. "Simba?" Simba turned to face him again. Danny's expression was full of resignation. "It's why I push everyone so hard, for times like these, for times that we've already faced."

That was mainly about Scar's reign and everything since. Simba understood, realizing that he was just making sure everyone would answer the call to a situation. "Danny, you did the right thing with Shani. Yeah, you could've been a little more merciful. Things like this happen and there's nothing you can do about it, only what you can do to prevent it from happening again. You gotta put your past behind you."

Danny laughed mirthlessly. "Thanks, Timon."

Simba shrugged. "I learned _some _good life lessons from them."

"Where have they been? I haven't seen them for a while."

Simba jerked his head in the direction behind him. "They needed a break from babysitting Kiara and went to visit Timon's family. They're now living in the jungle I used to live in. They'll be back in about six or seven months."

"Cool, because as much as I hate to say it, I'm starting to miss them. Their humor was always wanted in some way, shape, or form. But at least everything is peaceful right now. Hopefully, for good," Danny said.

"Me too." Simba noticed Danny's expression didn't really change much. At first, he thought it was about Shani, but something told him otherwise. "Are you sure everything is okay?"

Danny leaned back and raked his hands through his hair, which was growing longer than he preferred. _I guess I better tell him now._ The man had finally made up his mind on a huge decision. He knew Simba would not like this, but he would understand. "Simba, I want you to first promise me that whatever I tell you, you will not tell the others. I will tell them in due time."

Simba frowned. He clearly did not know what was going on, but he just nodded. "Yeah, sure. Uh, whatever you tell me, I'll keep my mouth shut."

Danny closed his eyes. "Look, there's no easy way to say it, so…I'm just gonna say it." He opened his eyes and locked them with Simba's. "Simba, I'm gonna be leaving."

Simba felt his heart leap into his throat. "Leave? You mean you're going out again to look for your parents?"

"Yes, I'm going to look for my parents. But I'm not coming back here." Danny could see the pained look on Simba's face, but he continued. "I've been out of contact for too long with my own kind. I miss the culture, the people, the things I used to do. I need to reconnect with them and our culture again. I know I'm starting my life from scratch, pretty much, but I believe I've fulfilled my purpose here."

Simba shook his head, not wanting to believe this. "What are you talking about? You're a king of the Pride Lands, one who has done so much for us. Is that the purpose you're talking about?"

"Yes," Danny replied, sounding resigned. "Truthfully, I wouldn't have stuck around this long if it wasn't for what Scar had done to us. I probably would've moved on a long time ago." He sighed. This was almost too much for Danny to take, and the stress was not helping. "You see, what you have here, I can never have. At least, as long as I stay here. I can't have a family, I can't do the things with lions that I can with humans. I've tried to make the best of it while I've been here, but it's just not good enough."

"You _do _have a family. You have us, you have Zainabu."

Danny's heart felt as though it had been speared. "But I can't have children with Zee, and as close as I am to all of you, I still feel alone because of the lack of human contact. You and Nala can have that family and intimacy, but I can't…not here anyways. Please understand this, bro. I need to move on. I need to find my family and return to the life I once knew."

Simba's pitiful expression was tear-jerking, and Danny had to gather the strength to hold them back. "We need you, Danny. I need you."

"Simba, you guys will be fine without me. You have proven that you are capable of leading the people and the pride by yourself. I have utmost faith in you to get the job done." He got up and hugged Simba. "Trust me, you guys mean so much to me, but I can't keep living like this."

Simba let a tear run down his cheek. Danny was the big brother he never had, and always had a close bond to him. To hear him leave was a heartbreaking moment, almost as bad as the day Scar killed his father. But he did not want Danny to stay here if he wasn't truly happy here. He wanted his brother to have a loving mate and children like he and Nala had. He slowly nodded. "Alright, then. Honestly, I can't tell you what to do. But we're gonna miss you badly."

Danny smiled. "I'm gonna miss you guys too."

Simba drew back. "When do you plan on leaving?"

Danny held up a hand. "I'm not leaving until after Kiara proves herself on her solo hunt. That's not for another year, so I'll be sticking around until then. Afterwards, I'll be leaving and then saying my goodbyes to Malka and Jabari." _At least if Jabari is still alive. _

Simba let out a sigh of relief. "Okay, then. At least we get one more year with you."

A loud roar from above could easily be heard inside the ship. Danny and Simba both got up in a flash. "What was that?" Danny asked, but he was sure he knew the answer to that. They both trotted out of the ship to the ground below. The rest of the pride were on their feet, babbling endlessly on what was going on. Zazu flew down from above to greet them. "Zazu, what's going on?"

Zazu bowed low. "Your Majesties, the queen has blessed King Simba with two cubs, both sons."

Simba's face lit up. "Sons? I have two sons?" He look like he was going to explode in happiness. "Is everyone alright?"

At this, Zazu's proud expression faded. Both kings knew this could not be good. "You should come up to the den quickly, sires." He flew off and back up to the pride's cave.

Danny and Simba book made mad dash for the slope and ran as fast as they could. They wanted to know what was going on and if anyone was in trouble. From the look on Zazu's face, it seemed that was the case. They reached the top of the cave only to find Sarabi waiting for them. Her face told the story. It was as bleak as the pouring weather.

Simba came up to his mother. "How is she, Mother? Are the cubs okay?"

Sarabi didn't smile. Even through the rain, they could see a tear threatening to run down her cheek. "Nala is fine, but…one of the cubs didn't make it. The second-born."

Tragedy killed them, more so Simba than Danny. Simba's face now was streaking tears. "And the firstborn?"

"It doesn't look good for him either," was the sad reply.

Danny, in anger and frustration at being helpless to prevent it, kicked a rock as hard as he could. _This is great. He loses one cub and now might lose the other one. _He wrapped his arm around his brother in comfort. Simba began to cry, and Danny and Sarabi did their best to help him, but that was a difficult task that could never truly be accomplished. Losing a son was hard to take, but the possibility of coming out with no children was even worse.

He got up and began to walk into the cave. Sarabi looked at him. "What are you doing, Danny?"

"I'm going to help," Danny replied. Suddenly, he found himself slammed into the wall. He was more surprised and confused then he was angry, because it was Simba who had done it.

He glared at Danny. "You are _not _going in there!"

Danny knew it was natural instincts taking over his younger brother. Still, he had to be calm and try to reason with Simba. Of course, having a 500-pound lion sandwiching him against the wall made that a difficult task even to speak. "I'm only trying to help out. If you want your cub to live, you're gonna need all the help you're gonna get. Now, get off of me."

Simba didn't move, at first, but finally backed off. "Don't you hurt either of them."

"Not planning on it." Danny walked in the cave, unimpeded by Simba this time. His chest was still recovering from being crushed by Simba, and found it hard to breathe in deeply. When he tried, he ended up coughing. He was just thankful he wasn't coughing up blood.

Inside was Nala and Rafiki in the cave. Danny could already see Rafiki carrying the dead cub towards him. For one of the few times since knowing him, Rafiki's expression was sad. Danny walked to him. He looked at the body of the dead cub in his arms. _This is so horrible._ "Rafiki, is there anything you do for the other cub?"

He closed his eyes. "No, my king. Der is not'ing I can do for da other cub." They both looked at Nala.

Nala, who was exhausted from the birth, was crying and nudging the other cub, licking him to make sure the cub was clean. The cub was alive, but if it didn't drink any of his mother's milk, it would die. She continued to clean the cub, but she was nearly beside herself. She was already devastated at the loss of one of her newborn sons, and who knew what would happen if the other didn't make it.

Danny placed a hand on the mandrill's shoulder. "Thank you, Rafiki. We appreciate the effort you've given to help us in this, but the only thing we can do is hope."

The mandrill simply nodded and walked off with the cub's body. Danny got down on his knees and prayed. "Lord, I beg you. Please don't take this child from them. They've lost so much now and I don't want to see anymore of their children being lost. Amen." He wasn't much of a praying type, but this was one of those times where the only one anyone could rely on was the Lord. They really were needing a miracle right now.

Danny walked closer to Nala. "Is it alright if I come close?"

Nala initially snarled, a sign of natural instincts, but quickly recovered and nodded. "Please, help my son, Danny."

Danny smiled weakly. "I'll try." He placed his hand on the cub, firmly pressing it against its body. The golden-furred son of Simba and Nala's gurgled and twisted slightly. It seemed like he was lacking somewhat in strength, but his heart was beating strong. He gently brushed along the cub's side. "Come on, kid. You're struggling right now, and you don't seem strong."

Nala looked at him incredulously. She never expected to hear something so pessimistic from Danny. He caught the look and nodded, giving her a confident expression. He turned back to the cub. "But what you lack in physical form, you've got a strong heart. You've got to show that you have got heart, and can pull through anything. You can do this, I know you can." He brushed his hand against the cub, hoping for a miracle. _God, please don't let him die._

As if an answer to his words, the cub began to move. It couldn't see, but it was heading in the right direction for some food: Nala. He dragged himself on his tiny paws, trying to get closer.

Nala's sad expression lit up with jubilation. "Yes, my son. You can do it." She tried to move herself closer, but she was too exhausted to do anything.

Danny shared the same excitement. "Show some heart, big guy. You're almost there."

Finally, the cub reached his destination, and began suckling his mother for some food. Both Danny and Nala knew that the cub was going to pull through and survive. To them, it was miracle, and Danny knew who was behind it. _Thank you, Lord. _He jumped up and let out a whoop of joy. "It's a miracle!"

Apparently that was enough of a shout to be heard over the storm, because Sarabi, Rafiki, and Simba came inthe cave in a hurry. Both were confused at the sight of Danny's excitement, but when they saw the cub suckling milk from his mother, they realized why. Simba ran over to his mate and newborn son, snuggling them closely.

Rafiki came to Danny. "Wat happened in here, my boy?"

Danny smiled. "Let's just call it an act of God, Rafiki. I can't explain how it happened, just that it did. It's a miracle." He celebrated, leaving a very confused Rafiki. "Ha ha! It's a miracle!"

The five enjoyed the moment together. Sarabi was joyful to have another grandson, and Danny was happy to have another nephew. Nala and Simba were relieved, ecstatic, elated, and joyful all at once. They had lost a son during the birth, but they still had the other. It was a night of happiness and sorrow, but the sorrow would pass them by like the storm above them.

Nala pulled her head away from Simba's nuzzling and looked at the other king. "Danny, I would like you to chose the name for the cub."

Danny abruptly halted his jubilant celebrating. He was not expecting that. "Me? Why me? He's your son."

Nala gave him a warm smile. "But I want you to have something as a mark in this family. The only way I can see that right now is by giving the name of my son."

Danny chuckled. "I'm honored, but I'm not sure what to name him." Then something came to his mind, a name that translated for the cub's best quality. "Kopa."

"Kopa?" Simba and Nala repeated, more of a question.

Rafiki smiled. "Ah, yes. It means 'heart', my friends."

Danny came over and petted the cub's head. "He had shown some heart already, and he's only a newborn. I think that is something he will demonstrate over time. I say we name him Kopa."

Simba smiled. "Kopa seems fitting to me."

Nala smirked. "Of course, you do. Kopa looks just like you."

"But I bet he's got his mother's eyes," Simba said smoothly. "Guess we'll see when he opens them."

Nala nuzzled him. "I guess so."

****

The storm passed by and the pride came out from their rest and relaxation under the promontory arch. The clouds gave way to the evening sun, allowing a final time of light for the day. Even though the pride had already slept, they were ready for some more rest. They were all happy for the king and queen on their newborn son, Kopa. Sorrow was shared for the loss of their second born cub that didn't make it.

Danny and Tojo were the only ones left outside. They both decided to wait until their friends, Mheetu and Shani, returned. Both sat along the side of the promontory. Tojo shook his head. "You know something Danny, I've almost forgotten what it was like when Kula had given birth to Kovu and Vitani."

Danny shook his head. "Then why don't you and Kula get together and…you know…"

Tojo realized what he was trying to say. "Trust me, pal. We've been going at it for a while, and still have nothing. I would love to be a father again, but maybe it's just the fact that we still have unfinished business with our first two."

The man watched as Tojo hung his head. He placed a hand on the back of his friend's auburn mane. It had to hurt Tojo knowing that his son and daughter were being raised by such an evil lioness. Danny would be going crazy if he had children of his own and they were being raised by a monster of a man or woman. "Tojo, I have to tip my hat to you. To be going this long without your own kids must be a challenging trial to endure. You are either a very strong lion or very good at masking your true feelings."

"Probably helps to be a little of both," Tojo said, sheepishly.

They shared a laugh. Danny smiled. "How do you make it this far without going insane about your kids?"

Tojo blinked in surprise. He wasn't sure how to answer that. "To be honest, I feel at ease about the whole situation. I can't explain it, so don't ask why. I just believe that things are going to work out for the best and they will both come back to us the way they left. Personally, Danny, I think they'll be fine."

Danny nodded. "I hope you're right. But the question is: will they come back?" Truthfully, he was all but positive Kovu would return. Vitani was another story, however.

"I certainly hope so."

They looked down at some movement at the base of the slope, and were shocked at what they saw. Mheetu and Shani were walking up, side by side. Shani was constantly nuzzling Mheetu and gave him an occasional lick. Mheetu was returning the affection by nuzzling her back. Both wore beaming smiles and glowing eyes to match. They came up and walked past Danny and Tojo, apparently didn't know they were watching them, jaws hanging open.

It was the last thing they expected to see. Danny did expect them to settle their differences and do the whole "apology and forgiveness" deal. But he didn't expect them to be showing great affection to each other this quick. To him, it was not healthy for two to just jump into a relationship, but then again, they were lions and not humans.

Tojo looked at Danny. "What just happened?"

"I'm not sure." Danny got up and smiled amusingly. "But it means that Mheetu is no longer going to take your shifts so you can spend quality time with Kula, buddy." He slapped Tojo's shoulder ran into the cave to get ready for sleep.

Tojo groaned. "Aw, man."

****

_Eight months later…_

Mheetu and Chumvi paced back and forth endlessly. The others had noticed and weren't surprised at their behavior. Tojo and Simba knew what they were going through, and about to go through. Danny didn't experience what they had, but it didn't mean he didn't understand. The two sentinel lions were downright nervous, and who wouldn't be on the day of their wedding.

A month back, both lions proposed to Shani and Aziza. Both accepted with extreme excitement, and were being cared for and groomed by the other lionesses. Not even Simba approached them during their time with the two wife-to-be's. He did not want to risk their wrath by interrupting their "girl time" on this day.

Now, all of the males were on the top of the promontory getting set. Rafiki had come up to prepare for the invocation while Danny had set up shop next to Simba. The kings would stand off to the right side while Nala, as queen, would stand on the left side. The lionesses would line up in two columns, forming a line for the two brides to walk through. Tojo, as head sentinel, would escort Shani and Aziza up to the top of the promontory. Mheetu and Chumvi stood in the center right with Rafiki in the center. Timon and Pumbaa stood next to Simba while Haraka and Zazu would stay next to Danny.

Danny laughed as he watched the two sentinel grooms pace back and forth. "If you two keep this up, you will both will nervously pace yourselves off the edge."

Mheetu sighed. "I can't help it. I've never been married and I don't want to mess this up. This is a very important moment for us."

"Yeah, Danny. This only happens once and we want to do things right," Chumvi added in.

Danny didn't know very well what to say, because he was not experienced in relationships in general, much less marriage. "Just let things happen. Don't worry about the little things, just focus on the fact that in one hour you two will be married and live happily ever after." They all looked him strangely. "Okay, maybe not like that, but you guys get my point."

Simba agreed and walked over to them. "He's right. Even though I was nervous as all get out just before I was married to Nala, he told me the exact same thing. Remember what happened?"

"It worked out perfectly, I know." Chumvi said, sounding as though someone told this to him every single day. "That doesn't erase all of the nervousness, though."

Danny smirked. "Never said it did, but it was enough to help." He saw the two columns, each led by Zainabu and Sarabi, heading their way. That meant that things were starting. "Just remember guys, I'm happy for you and everything will go along just fine. I'm sure Shani and Aziza are just as nervous as you two are."

That seemed to relax them to a degree, particularly in their expressions. They both wanted things to go right, and were afraid to mess things up. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't. But they usually turn out well in the end. All of the males took their places as the two columns began forming parallel with each other on either edge of the promontory arch. Danny and Simba stood proudly as the two sentinels waited in anticipation for their brides.

Nala first came through, with each lioness bowing in respect as she passed by, and came to her position opposite of Simba and Danny. She gave Danny a courteous smile, but reserved a beaming one for her mate. Her expression suggested she was confident that things would be fine. She probably had the same type of pep talk Danny and Simba gave to Chumvi and Mheetu.

Then they came. Tojo took the center of the lane as he escorted the two brides. Even though they didn't look any different than before, there seemed to be a radiant glow over Aziza and Shani. They both wore confident smiles, but anyone could tell they were just as fidgety as their grooms by the way they walked. All of the lionesses bowed low as they passed by, as was custom for a marriage in the pride.

Everyone was looking forward to this day, and the weather was perfect for the wedding. Each senior lioness was excited to see the younger generation be joined together and continue the pride for years to come. Rafiki stood in the center, looking very sane and collected. To Danny, that was a rare occasion, even borderline creepy given the normal behavior of the mandrill shaman.

Haraka whispered up to Danny. "You think the guys will make it through without tearing up?"

"Nope," Danny said flatly. "Then again, there's a first time for everything."

Tojo came up to hand them off to the grooms and headed back down towards the bottom where Kula waited for him. The grooms and brides respectively took their sides as Rafiki began the invocation. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here together in da sight of da Creator and of dis pride…"

Mheetu and Chumvi weren't paying as much attention to the invocation as they were their mate-to-be's. Their sloppy, boyish grins would have been hilarious, but the girls seemed to be enjoying the smiles Mheetu and Chumvi were giving them. They were all so happy to be finally getting married.

Of course, they weren't ready when Rafiki had finished. Rafiki noticed and smiled. He tried to clear his throat, but that did no good. "Uh, Mheetu? Chumvi?"

They snapped out of their trance. Already, they were turning red from embarrassment. A couple of the lionesses giggled, including Shani and Aziza. Mheetu decided to answer. "Sorry, my bad." He whispered to Chumvi. "I guess I'll start." Chumvi just simply nodded in agreement.

Mheetu looked at Shani and smiled. She had been through so much, but the smile on her face suggested it never even happened. He had made her happy, and she had done the same for him. He was always there for her, and she could never truly express how much that meant to her. "We met during one of the worst times in our lives. I never knew it would be one of the best days of my life."

It was Shani's turn to blush as Mheetu continued. "During the last couple of years, you and I didn't always agree on things. Sometimes it was so bad, it was even a wonder neither of us tore each other apart." There were a couple of laughs from the others. "But then that day happened when I saved your life, and things changed. It still took a few months but we finally managed to get things settled, and now look where we are…about to be married and spend the rest of our days together. I couldn't be more happy and proud to be married to a beautiful lioness like you, Shani."

He began to conclude. "I vow, for as long as I shall live, to love you faithfully, support you during tough and stressful times, and be a strong leader for our family."

Shani blushed fiercely. "I knew I should've gone first." She recovered. "Mheetu, you were not the lion I expected to be married to. So good looking, so confident, so successful, so honorable, so selfless. But then I realized the great leader you have become, and realized that I would spend the rest of my life with you."

For a moment, her smile faded. "I had caused horrible pain to you for over a year, and can never take back that part of my life. Because of that, I still feel that I don't deserve you. I should've drowned that fateful day."

Her smile returned. "But you saved me. From that day on, my feelings for you began to change. I felt that I should repair the damage I created, and eventually you accepted it and told me you loved me. From now until eternity, I pledge myself to you as your helper, your mate, your friend, and your wife. And I am looking forward to our future together."

They were finished and now Chumvi had to start. "I'm being upstaged by my own friend." Danny and Mheetu laughed at the remark. "Aziza, we met a while back, and unlike our two friends here, we didn't get at each other's throats to get together." While that got a laugh from Aziza, Chumvi received glares from Shani and Mheetu. "The more we got to know each other, the more I realized you were the special lioness I would one day ask to be my mate. Honestly, I couldn't be more happier to have chosen you. I promise to take care of you, laugh with you in good times, support you in the bad, and to sleep by your side."

Aziza smiled. "Chumvi, before I met you, I had never known true love. You had always been there when things seemed bleak, you had always confided with me about anything, and helped in anyway you could when I needed it. I'm not sure if I can make up for all of that, but I am willing to spend the rest of my life doing so. I will be there by your side with decisions, in battle, and during the night when we sleep."

Danny watched on with pride. They had said committed themselves to each other, and now were leading up to the vows. Rafiki had already asked if anyone saw reason for them not to be wed, and Tojo raised his paw up in a joking manner. While Danny found it funny, he waved it down. There would be a time for jokes later. This was too special a day for humor.

Rafiki smiled. "Now dat you four have pledged your lives to each other, it gives me great pleasure in the power of the Creator to pronounce you, Mheetu and Shani, Chumvi and Aziza, husband and wife." He took his gourd stick and shook it over Chumvi and Aziza who, in turn, nuzzled each other. Rafiki then took his stick over Mheetu and Shani, and did likewise.

They were now officially mates for life, and no one could be any happier.

"I love moments like this," Pumbaa said, tearfully.

"Yeah," Timon replied.

Then they both began to cry their eyes out. They were more emotional than most of the lionesses, and Danny fought off the laugh threatening to break out of his mouth. Their humor was always welcome, as was their melodramatic acts. The rest of the pride didn't seem to mind as much.

Simba smiled at the two couples as they walked by. "Congratulations, guys."

"May your days together be glorious and filled with every happiness," Nala added in, cheerfully.

Danny's answer was a little odd, if not crazed. "Mazel Tov!" He took his flare gun and fired straight up in the air. The rest of the lionesses initiated the cheers from the shot. The four lions looked at him quizzically. He shrugged. "I've always wanted to do that."

The kings and Nala began walking through the two columns of lionesses, with the newly wed pairs following them. They walked up to the summit to look out among the lands where all the animals were grazing about. All in perfect unison, the entire pride let out a deafening roar that could be heard for miles. All of the animals lifted their heads and knew that it was a roar of great joy, and joined in on the celebration. They had no idea what the joyful roars were about, but it was definitely good.

Danny watched the pride celebrate, and couldn't help but feel happy. This was a day of days, and no one could argue that point. At least, not until he spotted a familiar green-eyed lioness gazing at him. Zainabu had a smile, but he could tell she was a little disappointed and sad. He knew she knew he was leaving soon, and it would break her heart to see him go forever. Danny felt a pang of guilt as that thought settled in his mind. She had feelings for him, but it would never work out between them barring some serious plastic surgery to fix his or Zainabu's looks.

Two more months before Kiara's hunt, and then he would leave the next day. It would be a mixture of happiness and sadness, and no matter what he did, leave or stay, he would partially regret his decision. There were so many ways he wished things could be different. But all good things come to and end, and you always had to wake up from dreams. This was no exception. As Danny and Zainabu continued to stare at each other, they both wondered how the other would be when Danny left.

****

The last two months winded down until the morning came. The morning where everyone, especially Simba and Nala, had waited for. It was the day where Kiara would go on her solo hunt and earn her place in the pride. It was only a week after her birthday had passed, and now she was officially of age to prove herself. Danny and the other lionesses had trained her and the other cubs as best as they could, but composure was something she would need to display, and that was something they couldn't help her on.

The Pridelanders came out of the cave to take in the rays of the morning sun. They were very excited for this day, and hoped things would end on a good note. What they didn't know were the troubles that were laying in wait.

In the distance, a lion watched the events unraveling on Pride Rock. He was standing on a rock jutting out from the ground, overlooking the lands. Everything seemed so peaceful in this land, and that was what was bothering him. He could see everything going on, and had been preparing for years to set things in motion. Now was the time to implement his agenda, and it would trigger a response. But by the end of tomorrow, he would make sure the peace would change drastically.

With his vision, he spotted a familiar enemy. That enemy was surrounded by lions, and was doing exercises of some sort while they stood around, as though they were waiting for something. The scouts had reported the possible location of the one who had caused so many problems for him years ago. Now, the lion had him.

He smiled as he his enemy get up from his exercises. "It was really nice of you to remain here. So glad you could stay. Oh, we'll have so much fun together."

The lion turned to leave. "I'll be seein' you soon, Danny."

**  


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**

Well, I've now caught up to the canonical events of TLK II. On reviews, don't say "you suck at romance.". There's no point in telling me something I already know. But please leave me some tips. My romance writings probably do need improvement.

**For those of you who have been wanting a little more action to the story, don't worry. From the next chapter on, this story will take a huge turn with some interesting twists. There will be PLENTY of action. So buckle up and hang on, Dorothy. Kansas is going bye-bye!**

**However, I am going to spend time with a lady friend for almost a week. I'm not going to be writing during that time, so don't expect the next chapter to come in a week. Sorry, but I do have other things in life besides writing. Other than that, I hope you've enjoyed the story so far!**


	13. End of a Golden Era

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**Sorry, I didn't mean to take a month to upload the next chapter. But I had vacations and stuff like that. I promise to go 110% to finish this story because in June I have to leave for summer camp. At that point, work will be spotty and uploads even rarer. I know some of you want to chew me up and spit me out for taking so long, so I did two chapters. I will load the next one later. Anyways, enjoy the newest chapter of Heart of a Champion!**

It had been a long time in waiting. The Outlanders had waited three years for this moment to arrive. Too long, they had been scrounging for scraps. Too long, they had been savoring what little water they could manage. But their misfortunes were about to change this day. For them, it would be the dawn of a new era. For the Pridelanders, it would be the beginning of their end.

None was more eager and confident than Zira. The leader of the Outlanders and mate to the late Scar came into the main den of the termite mound. All of the lionesses were scattered around the walls of the pillar, but everyone was present. Nuka and Vitani took their places at the fair-sized mound. But her attention was on the lion in the middle.

She smiled. It was three intensifying years of training for Kovu, but she could definitely see the results. What was once a scrawny cub was now a powerful lion. His muscular build was beyond impressive, it was downright intimidating. Even sitting his rear legs, Kovu still demanded respect just from his imposing posture. His brown fur, dark mane, and fiery green eyes only added to his physical attributes. Upon examining him, she made her final judgment. "You are ready."

She began to circle around him for a full examination. He remained at attention. "Nice…very…nice." She said with an icy tone. Zira chuckled. "You have the same blackness in your soul that Scar had." She rose the tone of her voice. "What is your destiny?"

Kovu stared ahead, his eyes blazing. "I will avenge Scar. Take his place in the Pride Lands."

Zira narrowed her eyes in satisfaction. "Excellent. What have I taught you?"

"Simba and Danny are the enemy," Kovu replied.

"And what must you do?" She asked with anticipation.

Kovu's eyes hardened. "I must _kill _them."

The lionesses roared lowly in response. Indeed, he was ready to take them back into their Promised Land. Zira knew this day was coming. And to be victorious, it sometimes required patience and the biding of time. Things had been in Simba and Danny's hands for far too long. Now, they were about to take a different path.

Zira walked over to Nuka and Vitani. "Take some sticks and head for the geyser crevice. You know what to do."

Vitani simply nodded in affirmation and took off. Nuka, on the other hand, just made a groan. Upon Zira's growl, he turned tail and followed behind Vitani. Zira shrugged off his attitude. Kovu had his duty, and now they had to do theirs to make this all work. Because if it didn't, things would be even less favorable for Kovu to gain acceptance.

****

While it was a day for a particular Outlander, it was also a special day for a particular Pridelander as well. Today was the day for Kiara to earn her place in the pride. For every female, they had to go on a solo hunt and bring back a kill for the pride to eat. That was how she would officially make her mark. The males had it different, because they had to prove themselves everyday by protecting the lands from invaders, particularly other male lions.

Today, the sentinels were given the day off to avoid interfering with Kiara's hunt. Danny would go out on his speeder bike to make sure no one would attempt to invade. With his dreams haunting him, he was taking no chances. But he would make sure not to be spotted by Kiara nor the herds she would be hunting.

Tojo, Mheetu, and Chumvi went off to the other side of Pride Rock with their mates for some quality time. Some other lionesses went on to sleep in the sun, but quite a few remained at the base of the promontory to await for Nala and Kiara to come down from the cave. Nala was giving her some last-minute pep talk. Sarabi, Zainabu, and some other lionesses were waiting at the foot of the slope. Timon and Pumbaa also waited by the foot while Rafiki was near the top to offer his congratulations to Kiara.

Danny sat on his speeder bike next to Simba, with two month Kopa right next to him, playing with the king's tail. Both were deep in thought. Danny was concerned about telling the pride about his decision to leave. He was going to announce it as soon as the hunt was over, but that would not be very pleasing to hear. But he needed to continue searching for his family. Whether he found them or not, he would return home to the life he once knew years ago. It would be starting from scratch, but he would recover and thrive.

Simba was mostly concerned about Kiara. Since the death of Tanabi, he was more cautious and protective of his daughter. Now, she was going on a lone hunt, and that did not settle well with him. If Tanabi was still alive, things might've been different. But that was wishful thinking, and not reality. Now, he couldn't help but be worried about his only daughter.

Simba listened in on the chatter going on with the lionesses.

"This is her first hunt."

"The king and queen must be so proud."

"She's going to do so well. I know it."

Simba heard that last comment. He believed she would as well, but doing it safely was another thing, altogether. Maybe he was being overprotective, maybe he was just being a prudent father. He looked up as he saw movement.

Nala was coming down from the slope. She walked with a slow, confident approach to her mate. The other lionesses gave a curt bow of respect as she passed among the ranks. She came up to Simba and nuzzled him, giving him a wink to indicate everything would be fine.

Simba nodded, but still felt unsure about this. _I only hope I'm wrong._

"There she is," Zainabu said.

Simba looked up to see his daughter come into sight among the others. He remembered when she was just a cub, full of curiosity and playfulness. Even though those traits hadn't totally diminished, probably never would, Kiara had transformed from a small cub to a beautiful lioness. Her golden fur and brown eyes leaned more towards resembling Simba, and that made him all the more proud.

Rafiki smiled at her. "Kiara." Zazu landed on a nearby tree branch and smiled down at her with pride.

He watched as Kiara walked among the lionesses, hearing their encouraging words.

"This is your big day."

"You can do it."

"My, how you've grown," Sarabi said with a beaming smile.

Kiara walked up and rubbed up against Nala, a common display of affection between mother and cub. Her mother returned her daughter's gesture. "You'll do just fine."

Kiara smiled, but it was her father whom she really wanted approval and trust. Simba was still lost in thought about the whole scenario and she caught it. "Daddy." That got her father's attention, as he snapped out of his thoughts. "You have to promise you'll let me do this on my own. Promise?"

Simba glanced up at Nala. She also gave him an expectant expression; she was waiting for him to allow it. Deep down, Simba knew there was no way around this case. He relented and smiled at Kiara. "Alright, I promise."

Kiara launched herself into her father's mane and nuzzled him. She was always seeking her father's approval and loved to be around him. He knew this and would've loved to have her enjoy herself and trust her to handle things. Sadly, this wasn't always meant to be. But he would give it a try and see if maybe it was just him being paranoid.

Timon and Pumbaa watched this display of affection and began to bawl their eyes out. It was absolutely hysterical crying, and Simba rolled his eyes. Sometimes, they could be a little too emotional.

Danny also watched this and sighed. _It's nice to have them for humor, but I do wish that they would not act like drama queens 24/7. _He looked at Kiara as she ran to him. He stood up for what she was about to do. She jumped up and wrapped her paws around his shoulders while standing on her hind legs. Danny wrapped his arms around her. "Go get 'em, Kiara."

She pulled back. "Do you think I'll do well?"

"I don't see a reason why you wouldn't. You've been trained with some of the best. You'll get something on this hunt."

"Thanks, Uncle Danny," she said while nudging him.

His face reddened slightly. He still wasn't use to being called an uncle. "Godspeed, Kiara."

She let go and took off for the grasslands excitedly, ready to take on any challenge. Who wouldn't be on their big day? Sure, everyone would be a little nervous, but the excitement would override any nervousness. Still, being a little nervous can be a motivating factor. Danny just hoped that she didn't get too cocky or too scared.

As the other lionesses moved away, Simba couldn't have felt more uneasy. He knew he had made a promise to Kiara, but he was too afraid to lose her. He leaned over next to Timon and Pumbaa, and kept his voice a whisper to avoid being heard. "Make sure she doesn't get hurt. If she does, report back to me or Danny if you see him. He will be on patrol."

Timon and Pumbaa both got the gist of the silence and casually walked a few paces and suddenly took off after Kiara to watch her. If she found out, Kiara wouldn't like it and would be ticked off at Simba, but he wasn't about to lose another one of his children.

Danny walked up to Simba. "Where are Timon and Pumbaa going?"

Simba mentally slapped himself. Of all the people, he forgot to account for Danny watching his little conversation with Timon and Pumbaa. He frantically tried to think of something. "Uh…I think they're going…to eat! Yeah, that's it." He chuckled somewhat nervously. "I mean, you know them…always eating." He prayed that Danny would buy the lie.

It didn't sound like it. "Yeah…I _do_ know them." Danny's voice was as flat as the expression he wore on his face. "It strikes me as odd that they leave conveniently after Kiara leaves for her first hunt."

Simba knew Danny was hard to convince if he sniffed out a lie, and this was no exception. "They were just waiting to see her off and then would go and eat."

Danny crossed his arms. "I bet." He stared at Simba and was sure something was up, but decided to drop it. _For now_. "Well, I'm going on patrol. I'm going to start by the river on the northern border. Then I will move on to the east side. Roar for help?"

"Three-round burst?" Simba asked. They knew each other's code for help.

Danny patted the M4 slung on his back as he got on his speeder bike. "Glad to see you still got it. I'll try not to get in Kiara's way, pal." He revved up the engine and headed down the slope. Once he hit the ground, he gunned the engines and took off for the river to patrol. Hopefully, his last full day in the Pride Lands would go smoothly.

****

The geysers were nothing to write home about, and even with the hyenas gone, it didn't look any better. The flaming craters and jagged rocks only added to the eeriness. But it wasn't too much of a concern to repel Nuka and Vitani's duty. They entered through a small crevice gap in the ground and made their way down the slope. They rounded the corner and came up through a huge rib cage of a deceased elephant.

Nuka scanned the area and made a noise of disgust. "Ugh…this place is even creepier since the hyenas ran off."

"Oh, sheesh," Vitani said, rolling her eyes. She jumped down to the ground below.

The scrawny lion scoffed. "I'm not scared, okay?" The nearby geyser blast, though, made him whimper and jump down quickly. He came up to Vitani, who was placing the sticks she carried on top of a geyser. "I just don't know why we have to be here, that's all. If Kovu was so _special_, why does he need us?" Another geyser blast made him whip around. The look on his face suggested he was about to have a nervous breakdown. "I never even had a chance!"

He didn't realize he had positioned himself right behind a geyser, which soon blasted skyward, scaring the life out of him and roasting his butt. Nuka screamed and ran over to Vitani, covering his face with his paws and whimpering like a little cub.

Vitani rolled her eyes again. _I can't believe I'm related to this wuss._ The geyser in front of her let out a blast, lighting the two sticks on fire. "That's it." She grabbed a stick and looked down at her brother. "Nuka, come on! Kiara has started her hunt. We have to move quickly."

She took off as Nuka grabbed his stick. He leaned in to curiously peer into the geyser. _It just erupted. No way it would blast up again. _Unfortunately, he was wrong. The geyser blasted up in his face, leaving his fur and whiskers singed. "WWOWWW!!! FFIIRREE!!!" He laughed maniacally as he took off after Vitani.

****

Timon and Pumbaa stayed at a discreet distance from Kiara. They couldn't see her, but they knew she was near. They hid from tree to tree, occasionally stopping at a log. They were on a mission, and weren't about to fail Simba just yet. Both of them had her scent, and closed in on Kiara.

Pumbaa took cover by some long grass. Timon jumped off his warthog friend and crawled in through a dead log. He reached the end of the log and looked around. Taking a line and action from Danny, he acted like he had a walkie-talkie and spoke. "Tango-Charlie-Alpha, what's your position?"

Pumbaa, not knowing what he was doing, hesitated. "Uh, upright. Head turned slightly to the left. Tail erect."

Timon rolled his eyes. "Why do I bother?" He put his hands together, imitating a pair of binoculars. He focused in on the target he was looking for: Kiara. She was crouching behind a rock, getting ready to attack. "Aha."

****

Danny sped around the Pride Land's borders. He hadn't found anything unusual near the river, but he couldn't shake the feelings of what happened years ago. He winced.

He remembered the day when Tanabi fell to his death at the waterfall. Even to this day, he couldn't forgive himself for what happened. Everyone did their best to convince him that he did the best he could and shouldn't horde all of the guilt, but he still couldn't shake off the feelings.

Danny still felt like trash over the whole incident. It wasn't the first time this happened. Geena was another victim he could do nothing about. He heard her roars of pain, but didn't make it in time before the hyenas killed her. That left a scar on him that would last for the rest of his life.

On that subject, he was beginning to think on what his plan was after he had left. The first thing would be to send official goodbyes to Malka and then Jabari, assuming he wasn't dead by now. Danny hoped he wasn't. He didn't want to leave without saying goodbye to his old friend. Hopefully, he had hung on long enough to see Danny before passing away. _Jabari, I hope you're still doing well. It would suck if I can't say goodbye._

Danny then began to think about checking the lands he never searched to see if maybe he could find his dad's yacht, and answers to his family's disappearance over seven years ago. If he didn't find his family, then he would accept things and head home. If he found his family, he would get some answers from them and head home. Then he would resume the life he abandoned before, and move on.

That was another thing. Moving on would be most difficult, for him and the pride. Today, he was going to tell him and he knew they would not take this very well. The sentinels always looked up to his leadership and would miss that, and Danny himself, greatly. But they would press on. Simba, Nala, and Sarabi would miss his antics and just being there when he needed it. Sarabi would be the most crushed, but would understand more than the other three.

That left Zainabu. Danny shook his head sadly. Zee was the joy of his life here, from her kindness from when they first met to Danny saving her life from Scar to their traveling around the lands. If it was anyone who made him truly happy in the Pride Lands, it was her. She would be devastated at his departure, and he didn't know how she would cope when he was gone. He would feel different without her. It would be like the hole in his heart at the years without his family opening up with no chance of being filled.

Danny sighed. _Zee, if only things were different. I pray that you will recover and move on when I'm gone._ That was pretty much all he could do: pray.

Something in the air caught his attention. It was a smell, a particular smell that hadn't crossed his nose in a long time. It took him a few moments to process what it was in his brain, but when he looked up ahead of him, he instantly recognized it. It was smoke. About a mile across open fields was a billowing cloud of black smoke only caused by fires. That was exactly where… "Oh, geez. You've gotta be kidding me!"

Kiara was hunting over there where the smoke was at, and where smoke was, fire followed. He brought his M4 up and flipped the selector switch on "burst". He held it skyward and fired. The burst of fire echoed throughout the lands. Just to make sure, Danny reached down for his flare gun and also fired, sending a bright red flare into the air.

Danny holstered his flare gun and increased speed. "So much for a smooth day."

****

Simba was pacing back and forth. Even with Timon and Pumbaa going out to watch Kiara, he couldn't help but feel nervous. The last thing he wanted was another death in his family. Was he being too paranoid? Or was he being justly cautious? He wasn't sure. The only thing that he was sure was that he was feeling uneasy. "This was a mistake. A total mistake."

Zazu smiled. "What's a mistake Excellency?"

"Sending Kiara on a hunt by herself, Zazu. That's what," Simba replied rather sharply.

Zazu drew back slightly. This wasn't the Simba he was used to being around. "But sire, aren't all lionesses supposed to handle their first official hunts by themselves? It's supposed to prove whether they can be self-sufficient and able to hunt on their own."

Simba was silent for a moment, considering Zazu's words. "I understand the protocol for lionesses, but we still should've sent a lioness to observe and, if the situation arises, assist the lioness against any form of danger."

Zainabu, who was also there, shrugged. "We all had to go through this type of initiation, Simba. I think the only reason you're concerned is that she is your daughter. Would you feel the same way if it was another lioness?"

Simba was stunned by her frank audacity. She did have a point, but she was pressing her luck. "When you have a cub of your own, you let me know how you'll feel." He realized immediately that was the wrong thing to say.

She gave him a pained look, as if she was stabbed. Zainabu, as long as she remained attached to Danny, would never have cubs. She always wanted to be a mother, but it would never happen. That reminder by Simba stung deeply in her heart. "Forgive me for being blunt, sire. I'll be off elsewhere." She walked off the promontory, which soon turned into a run to the summit slope.

Simba and Zazu were left staring after her. Simba knew he had made a mistake and that couldn't be taken back lightly. Zazu cleared his throat. "Permission to speak freely, your Majesty?"

"Knock yourself out, Zazu."

"That wasn't the best thing to do, considering her circumstances."

"Yeah, I know you're right." He resumed his pacing, but at a much slower rate. "That still doesn't make it any easier."

Zazu tried to give encouragement. "Don't worry, Simba. Kiara will be fine. What could possibly happen?"

Simba shook his head. _I'd rather not have that question answered. _But it was as soon as he processed the thought. Behind him, he heard a familiar noise: a three round burst, soon followed by a loud _thoof. _He turned around to see a red flare high in the sky. It could only come from Danny, and in the distance, he could see what Danny had to have shot the flare for. Black smoke was rising into the sky, and that could only mean a fire. In the tall grass combined with the heat, it spelled extreme danger.

Simba felt an awful premonition. "No. No! Kiara!" He ran down the slope, with other lionesses behind him. Haraka, who was nearby, also ran with Simba. "Zazu, fly ahead! Find her!"

Haraka ran next to Simba. "Your Highness, I can also assist Zazu by moving ahead."

Simba nodded. "Go!"

Haraka, using his cheetah speed, turned a golden rocket to the rest of the pride. It was very useful in having a cheetah around. Despite lions' and cheetahs' rivalry as competition for prey, having Haraka around was turning out to be a very good deal on Danny's part. The pride could only hope that Kiara was out of danger and into safety.

****

"Any more challenges today?" Danny asked, looking up at the sky. He was making considerable progress across the plains and riding along the gorge. It wasn't too big of a challenge until he got a mile further.

In front of him was the geyser crevices, the old home of the hyenas. He knew it would take too long to go around either side and the smoke cloud was getting larger. He had to make a decision soon, and it looked like jumping across was his only option. Of course, that jump was about twenty five feet. That would take some incredible speed from his bike. Whenever he went out for joyrides, Danny preferred to gun the engines at full speed.

But even on those joyrides, Danny had never gone over gaps before to get some air time. He wasn't a Motocross driver, and didn't know how to remain balanced. But time was running short and he had to do something. He hung his head. "Okay, okay, I get it."

He turned around and headed back about one hundred meters. Danny was hoping that it would be enough distance to pick up speed and clear the crevice gap. Revving the engine, Danny focused on the elevation at the edge of the ground, serving as a ramp. "Time to put on my Evel Knievel impression."

Danny jammed the engines and rocketed forward. He narrowed his eyes, but didn't shut them. Shutting his eyes would do him no good, since he would need them to land properly. "I wish I knew what I was doing."

As he reached the edge, Danny kicked the bike up and shot out over the gap. It was only a few seconds, but it seemed like a few hours. Time seemed to go slow as Danny felt the adrenaline rush through his body. His hands were clenched on the handle bars so tight that his knuckles turned white. He glanced down and saw the crevices well below him. The other side of the crevice grew closer, and he started to descend.

For a moment, he thought he wasn't going to clear the jump. But the bike cleared the gap, barely. The back end clipped some of the edge of the rock. The result was the bike bouncing and sending Danny flying a little more. He flailed as he went airborne. If it was anything he hated worse in life, it was flying and falling. The only exception to that scenario was if he had a parachute.

That resulted in him nearly shutting down subconsciously. His hand caught the ground and he got nailed by the impact, keeping him awake. Danny rolled and tumbled on the ground until he came to a halt.

The pain was sending a pins-and-needles feeling all throughout his body. It felt like a thousand matches were lit onto his body at simultaneous times. One thing was for sure, that was the last time he would do that. He cursed and groaned as he tried to lift himself up. He put his hand to his forehead and felt something warm. When he withdrew his hand, there was a smeared line of blood.

Danny groaned with annoyance. "Okay, that hurt. I'll leave the Evel Knievel stuff to other maniacs."

He got up to find his bike. He found it toppled over by a couple of boulders, but it looked intact. His vision was in and out of focus, so just reaching the bike seemed to be a large task. But he could tell his vision was recovering by the time he grabbed the bike and flipped it right-side up. "This is definitely not my day, and it's far from smooth."

He ignited the engines and took off to search for Kiara. At the speed he was going, he would reach the fire in two minutes. Already, he could see the smoke cloud rising up from some of the fire, which was widely enveloping the edge of the Pride Land borders. It was truly a wildfire, and it showed no signs of stopping. The one silver lining was the waterways veining throughout the lands. The fires would not spread past the water veins, ceasing the concern for the fire making it to Pride Rock.

Still, Kiara might be in the vicinity of the fire, and in a fire, anything could happen. Danny just hoped that the only thing that would happen was Kiara getting to safety. As he came near the borders of the fire, Danny slowed down to search for movement.

He looked around, scanning the area with the naked eye, and then upgraded to his binoculars. He looked at every possible place she could be, but couldn't find any sign of animal life, let alone a single lioness. He swore. "Why did this have to happen now?"

Danny looked around again. It was the same: burning trees, blazing fires, no animals, a rippling water channel, black smoke clouds. There was absolutely no sign of Kiara anywhere. He sighed and began to set his binoculars down to his container box.

Danny did a double take with his binoculars. _Wait! A rippling water channel?_ The only way that could've happened was if something landed in there. Otherwise, there would be no ripples. "Oh, God. Please let that be Kiara."

He put his binoculars away and headed for the water channel. This was just not a normal day for him, but then again, what was normal? As far as he checked, everyday here was anything but normal. So much to the point that the unusual days were now the normal days. Danny slowly wondered how he would adjust to the different rigors of human life again. But that was for later. Now, he needed to focus on ensuring Kiara's safety.

Maneuvering his way past obstacles, he finally reached the water channel. There was nothing in the water, but on the shore, Danny saw two lions. The first was a fur-soaked Kiara, and he breathed a sigh of relief. _At least she's okay._ He had no clue who the other was. It was a male lion, with chocolate fur like Chumvi's and a black mane, equally soaked as Kiara. Danny frowned. _Who's the rogue?_

He saw Kiara get up on a flash. "No! Why did you bring me here? Who do you think you are!?" Danny shook his head. _Maybe she's not-so-okay._

The rogue scoffed in disbelief at her sharp tone. "I think I'm the one that just saved your life."

She glared at him. "Look! I had everything under control."

The lion smirked. "Not from where I'm standing."

"Then move downwind." She started to move, but the lion blocked her path.

Danny decided he needed to intervene upon seeing that. He gunned his engines and closed the gap between himself and the two lions. Both heard the sound of his bike's engine and turned to face him. Danny stopped to face them. He couldn't recognize the lion, so he drew his rifle out just to be safe.

The lion saw this and crouched low, growling. Danny pull the stock of the rifle closer to his shoulder. "Easy, Hershey bar. You try anything funny and I'll turn you into Swiss cheese."

The lion frowned. "Huh?"

Danny turned to Kiara. "Are you alright?"

Kiara frowned, as she noticed the gash on her uncle's forehead and the blood dripping down. "What happened to your face?"

Danny rolled his eyes. "Don't worry about it. I'm fine." That was actually not true. His head felt like John Cena gave him the Five-Knuckle-Shuffle.

"You sure?"

Now Danny was getting annoyed. The pain was bad enough, but Kiara's pestering was beginning to compound his mood. "I'm fine," he said slowly, trying not to sound irritated. "The question is: are you?"

Kiara nodded. "Yeah, I' fine, Uncle Danny. Thanks to this guy."

"So I overheard," he turned back to the rogue lion. "Well, you're in good graces right now, buddy. But if you make any hostile moves and you'll be out of them sooner than you think."

At this, the lion straightened. "Forgive me, it's just a part of my nature. I tend to be a little…aggressive."

"Believe me, I can understand that," Danny replied. He patted the M4. "This is just a precaution simply because I do not know you. On that matter, you mind telling me your name?"

"My name is Kovu," the lion replied. "And I am seeking you and Simba."

At this, Danny slightly lowered his weapon. Could it really be on of the cubs stolen from Zira? But what was he doing here? Danny didn't know, but it didn't matter at the moment. "Kovu? Is it really you?"

Kiara smiled at hearing this. "Is it you, Kovu?" She finally recognized her rescuer.

Kovu smiled. "It is me, and I've come to ask for a huge request."

Before he could even answer, the sound of pattering pawsteps and voices caused everyone to turn around. Simba and Nala came running in, with Tojo, Kula, and a few lionesses lingering back. "Kiara!" Simba shouted, clearly sounding concerned. He jumped in between the two parties and growled at Kovu, with venomous eyes to match.

Nala came over and nuzzled her daughter. "Oh, Kiara. I'm glad you're safe."

Kiara reserved a smile for Nala, but gave a glare to Simba. "Father, how could you break your promise?"

Simba listened, but his eyesight was completely trained on Kovu. He wasn't going to let this new lion attack him with his back turned. "It's a good thing I did. I almost lost you."

Danny raised his hands. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. What promise did you break?"

It was Kiara who answered the question. "He sent Timon and Pumbaa out to babysit me again," she said, rather embarrassed to say that in front of Kovu.

Danny looked at Simba incredulously. "I knew it. I knew you sent them out after her." He was already angry over his head wound, now he was pissed. "Why can't you just let her do things on her own? You can't just shelter her for her entire life. You gotta let her do things on her own."

"This wildfire only backs up my argument. I almost lost her to it, and you think I am being too cautious?"

Kiara interjected. "I only came out this far because I caught Timon and Pumbaa out in the fields during my hunt. Otherwise, I never would've come out here."

Danny looked back at his brother and co-king. "You're in a checkmate, Simba. She never would've been in danger if you didn't send out those two goofballs."

"I won't lose her the way I lost my father and my son." He spared a glance at Kiara. "No more hunts for you, not ever."

Danny winced. "I think you're going a little overboard with this, Simba."

Nala nodded. "Yeah, Simba. You're going too far with this."

Kiara was shocked that her father would refuse her any more hunts. Yes, she ran towards the borders. But that was because her father had broken his promise. And _that _was before the fire was even started. "But I was doing just fine. Even before Kovu-"

"Kovu!?" Up to this point, Simba had no idea who this new lion was. Now, he recognized Kovu and remembered what Zira said years ago. _Kovu was handpicked by Scar to follow in his paw prints._ He roared at Kovu, who roared back, in turn.

Danny looked behind Simba to see Tojo and Kula. They were both staring at Kovu in amazement. But they were at a crossroads right now. This looked to turn out to be a fight, but who were they gonna side with? They knew that they should support their king, but this was their long, lost son. Either way, Danny knew at this point any chance of a peaceful solution to this whole conflict went down the drain. _Great, this is all I need for a final day. _He needed to think of some way to resolve this before anyone got hurt. "Can't we get along for just two minutes?"

"Never," was Simba's reply.

Everyone was shocked to hear this. Nala was especially stunned. "Simba."

Danny held his palms in the shape of a "T", indicating a timeout. "Hold on, let's…"

Before he could finish, he heard the shouting of someone he didn't expect to see on the scene. The pride's shaman, Rafiki. He was shouting to get the attention of everybody. "Hey! You!" He said, pointing his walking stick at Kovu. "How dare you save the king's daughter?"

Danny gawked. _How does he do that?_

At this, Simba's expression lightened. _Kovu saved Kiara? That can't be._ He didn't know what to make of this, but he wasn't about to let his guard down. "You saved her? Why?" He crouched low, anticipating Kovu's answer. He was sure what it would be.

Kovu smiled and dipped his head slightly. "I humbly ask to join your pride."

"No," Simba answered sharply, getting in his face. "You were banished with the other Outsiders."

Kovu sat on his haunches and remained poised. "I have left the Outsiders. I am a rogue." He stood back up and lowered himself, all the while glaring at Simba. "Judge me now, for who I am…or am I to be blamed for a crime I didn't commit?"

Kovu had Simba at a stalemate, and Simba knew it. Kovu was not involved in the rebellion, nor did he support Scar in the past like some lionesses. Still, he had plenty of time to escape before. Simba growled and paced back and forth, pondering what he should do with Kovu. He didn't want to allow Kovu into the pride, but he also didn't want to go against the law his father Mufasa bestowed on the kingdom.

Nala gave her insight on the situation. "Simba, you owe him your daughter's life."

Zazu, who had originally located Kiara, landed in front of him. "Yes, sire. Clearly we are in his debt, and royal protocol demands that all debts must be paid." He placed his wings on his hips. "Though in this case, you might want to make an exception."

Simba motioned Danny over, to convene with him privately. Danny drove his speeder bike over to his brother. Simba kept his voice low. "What do you think, Danny?"

Danny's face went slack. He was thinking hard about this. The facts told him that Kovu saved Kiara's life to prove himself to be accepted into the pride. Maybe he did want to get away from Zira. Problem was, Danny's instincts were screaming at him, telling him there was something else hidden behind all of this. Mainly the fire and how it got started. He had no idea, but there was a possibility that Kovu was behind it and that this whole rescue was orchestrated.

The facts won out over his instincts this time. "I think we can allow him into the pride and reserve judgment. But I advise on keeping a close eye on him."

Simba smirked and turned around to face Kovu. The chocolate-furred lion remained firm and presentable. "My father's law…shall prevail. For now, I reserve judgment. We'll see who you really are." He walked away with Danny. The others followed close behind. "I hope you're right."

"That makes two of us, bro," Danny replied.

It was then that Simba noticed the blood streaming from Danny's forehead. He pointed at it. "Um, what happened to-"

"_Don't_…ask." Danny answered rather sharply. He was getting very ticked at this routine of asking to see if he was alright. "I'm not in the mood for telling about it. I've got a headache and need to wash the blood off my forehead before Zee has a heart attack."

"So, do you still plan on leaving tomorrow morning?" Simba asked, sounding hopeful.

Danny nodded, much to Simba's dismay. "Yes, and I'm going ahead to gather the pride together to let them know about my decision. They're not going to like it, but it's better to let them know than to disappear on them." He revved his engine. "I've gotta go take care of my gash and then head back to the pride. Since they all had the day to themselves, it shouldn't be hard to gather them together."

"Alright, Danny. Be careful."

"I'm always careful," was the last thing he said before he took off for the waterhole.

In the rear, Tojo and Kula stared for long moments at their long, lost son. It had been three years and now they could finally see their Kovu as an adult. It made them feel so happy to see him again. The jubilation pretty much radiated off them. Their eyes were all locked on each other. While father and mother were beaming with pride and joy, son was looking a little confused.

Kula walked forward to Kovu, who was looking in between them with slight confusion on his features. She stopped to examine him. "Kovu? Is it really you?"

Tojo looked at him with cockiness and pride. "It's good to see that my good looks have passed on."

Sadly, Kovu shook his head. "I'm sorry. Who are you? I'm afraid I don't know you."

_I don't know you._ Those words killed Tojo and Kula. As he walked off, Kula fell to the ground and broke down sobbing. Tojo gave her comfort, but he was hurting just as bad as she was. To have their own son not even recognize them was the next worse thing to death. Tojo calmed Kula as best as he could. "Don't worry. I'm sure he'll remember. It may just take time for him."

But even he doubted his own words. Never in his life had he felt so defeated.

****

Danny sped along the lands on his speeder bike. He was relieved that Kiara was not harmed by the fire. But that left him more questions than answers. What caused the fire? Was Kovu there conveniently? Or was it all a plan to get into the pride and cause chaos? There were so many questions that needed to be answered.

Part of him wanted to stay and solve the problems. But he still felt he should still follow through, this fire incident notwithstanding. It was tearing him in half, but he knew what he needed to do. _I think I decided to leave this place just one, darn, day too late._

He stopped at the waterhole and washed the blood off of his face. He was already irritated from the pain, being asked if he was alright for the umpteenth time would make things worse. Hopefully, no one would be too concerned about the gash. Danny knew it would be the least of their concerns when he made the announcement.

Once washed up, Danny headed back for Pride Rock. There had been so many memories there. He had fun playing with the cubs all the time. The tetherball would stay there for the cubs to enjoy. He had pumped up the ball, so it should be good for a while. Spending so many years in the den with lions would forever be burned into his memories. The friendships he made, the brotherhood he established with Simba and the sentinels.

Danny groaned. _And all the ones that I will be leaving behind._ He knew he had to return, and though Zira was still around, Simba was more than capable of keeping her in line. Danny, in a sense, was expendable. He was a human, with no real blood connection. But now, he was once again losing a huge portion of his life to start anew.

He reached the slope of Pride Rock and stopped when he reached the cave. Most of the pride were waiting anxiously for some sort of report, most likely what happened to Kiara. Danny got off and brushed off all the dust and ashes that got on his clothes.

The lionesses moved closer towards him. "Where's Kiara? Is she alright?" Sarabi asked.

Danny nodded. "Yes, and she was rescued by a most unexpected source." He watched nearly every single lion and lioness crowd around him. Zainabu remained on the fringes of the crowd. "She was rescued by Kovu, Tojo and Kula's son. He has requested to join the pride, stating that he abandoned the outsiders."

Sarabi frowned. "And you and Simba allowed him in?"

Danny held up a hand. "We have reserved judgment on him. If he passes our approval, then he will be accepted. If he fails, we will banish him."

Zainabu cocked her head. "What do you think about Kovu?"

Danny frowned. "I'm not sure. Part of me wants to trust him. I believe that deep down, he is a good lion who is being honest. But another part of me thinks that his good side has been replaced with hate filled by Zira. You have to keep watch on him at all times."

"Wait. What do you mean by 'you'?" Berhane asked.

Danny sighed. This was not going to be good at all. "Is everyone here aside from the party that went with Simba?" After hearing a few confirmations, he began to work up the nerve to tell them. "Guys, I've been with you for many years. We've shared great memories together, and I will never forget them." He closed his eyes. This was it. "But I'm leaving tomorrow morning for good."

Some jaws dropped, some sobs were heard, some faces looked in incredulous at this news. But they all had one common thing: shock. Danny, the one who had led them through Scar's terrible reign, the one who had brought a new dimension of life, the one who proved that humans can be trusted, was leaving them forever.

Danny continued. "I have learned much from you, and have taught you many things. But the time has come for me to move on. I must resume the search for my family and resume it with total commitment. Then, whether I find them or not, I will return back to my people. I've been out of contact from my own kind for far too long. Now with everything back in running order, for the most part, I have done all I can. Simba and the sentinels are more than capable of handling Zira and any other threats, so losing me won't be as bad."

Xolani stepped forward. "But we've learned so much from you. You've been there for us whenever we needed you. What if we need you again, Danny?"

"I pray that day will never come. But as for threats involving animals, I believe you are totally self-sufficient. Some prides don't even have ten lions. We have just over twenty, over twenty-five counting cubs. Plus, we've got four males. No rogue lion is going to invade and kill all of you." He looked over all of them. "Trust me, you guys will be fine. Without me, you only lose an advantage in fights and hunts."

Another lioness came to him. "It's not that part of you we're gonna miss. We love you and don't want you to leave."

Danny felt the words stab through his heart. This was nearly as bad as the day when he was told his family was missing and later presumed dead. His throat threatened to close on him. "And I love you too. You are all the family I've never had. I'm gonna miss you just as much as you're going to miss me. But if one of you were taken from this land, from your family, and lived with humans for so many years and no lions around you, wouldn't you want to go back to your family?"

No one answered. They didn't want to leave their pride to be isolated by humans from other lions. It was no surprise. They were born in the wild, and would take a very long time, if not the rest of their lives trying to adjust.

Sarabi stood next to Danny and spoke to the pride. "This is Danny's decision to return to his people. If we truly love him, we will understand and respect his decision. But that doesn't mean we will miss him."

The other lionesses nodded. Chumvi and Mheetu seemed calm, unlike their mates. They were more understanding of the situation and would wish him the best. Shani and Aziza, on the other hand, just nodded with tears in their eyes. They grew up their entire lives under Danny's leadership, and looked up to him like a big brother. To see him leave shook them to the core.

Danny was surprised with Sarabi, though. She was the most understanding of all the pride, and in only a few words, she had brought some understanding to the others. He was very grateful to have her as his surrogate mother, and would miss her greatly.

He spoke again. "I'm going to say my goodbyes tonight and early tomorrow morning. If any of you happen to wake up then, meet me up at the summit. Other than that, I love you and will miss you." He turned to Sarabi and embraced her. "Thanks for everything, Mom. I don't know what I'd do if you and Mufasa hadn't taken me in."

She wrapped her paw around his back. "You're welcome, my son. I can't tell you how proud I am to be your mother and how much you've done for us. I don't believe we could ever repay you for that."

"Actually, there is," Danny replied. "Promise to pass on my story to the next generation, so that they may do the same. Not to boost my reputation, per se, but as a reminder that humans can be trusted."

Sarabi's ruby eyes glowed. "I promise." She glanced at the others. "You better say your goodbyes to the pride, especially someone in particular."

Danny knew she was talking about Zainabu. He couldn't even think about leaving without talking to her. He looked around the edges of the pride; that was where he last saw her. Danny looked at the summit slope and found her walking up there, alone. He would talk with her as soon as he was done giving everyone else a goodbye hug.

****

Danny finished saying his goodbyes about the same time the sun was halfway set. He had said his goodbyes to most of the pride. Now, he had the most important member to say his goodbyes to: Zainabu. They had always shared a close bond between each other, and that made it all the more difficult for the young man. But it had to be done.

Danny walked up the slope to the summit. He reached the top to find his ship and the lioness he felt the closest to. Zainabu was sitting on the edge, looking out at the stars. Danny knew he had to go through with this, so he took a deep breath and moved forward.

He came up behind her and sat down next to her. "Hey, Zee. How are you holding up?"

"Alright, I guess." Her voice was flat, dry. She never met his glance, only continued to stare at the sky,

Danny didn't know what to say, since he wasn't good at saying goodbyes. "That's good." There was an awkward silence between them before Danny got straight to the point. "Look, I know you want me to stay, Zee. I want to stay with you too."

She turned to look at him. "Then why do you have to leave?" Her green eyes bore straight through him. They were full of confusion, anger, and most of all, hurt. "Why can't you stay here with us? With me?"

Her words threatened to open up the wound in his heart from his real family. Danny had to be direct and to the point, not beating around the bush. "Because I've been out of contact with my own kind for so long. I need to get back and start all over. Finding my family is the first thing I have to do. It's what brought me out here in the first place."

"So why can't you rule the lands _and _search for your family like you've been doing for the past few years?"

"Because I'm in need of reconnecting with humans. In fact, if it wasn't for me being able to talk to animals, I'd have been long gone years ago. I need to focus solely on finding my family with what supplies I have left and return home."

She stood up. "Well, what if you can't find your family?"

Danny hoped she wouldn't ask that question. That was one he hoped he would get a good answer to in the future. "Then I will still return to my kind, Zee."

He was expecting her to take her anger out on him or run away from him. Instead, she threw herself on him. In years past, her weight would've been painful to bear, but now Danny had the strength to take it. He embraced her and slowly stroked her head. Through her crying, she pleaded with him. "Then take me with you, please. I want to go wherever you go. I want to learn what life is in your world."

This only sent more pain through Danny's heart. She was not making this easy. Still, he was greatly impressed. She loved him so much that she was willing to sacrifice her freedom out here to be with him. "It's not that simple. In my world, you can't just have a lioness live in your house. They are either kept in zoos with other animals or reserves of some sort under the care of people. I don't have any money to keep you at my house."

That was the biggest problem with her coming. To have her with him, he would have to get a license to own a piece of land to raise her. Plus, he would have to receive training and classes as well as supplies. All of this would take at least a year. She would have to stay captive in a zoo or outright released back into the wild. Even if he had the training, he didn't have the money to support a piece of land and the food and water for Zainabu.

Zainabu still persisted. "No, I won't be a problem to anyone. I promise," her crying was wrenching Danny's heart apart, but hers was just as equally pained. "Just please let me come with you. I want to be with you."

Danny sighed. A tear fell down his cheek as he tried not to cry as well. "What about the pride? Don't you think you'll miss them if you left?"

She looked up at him, her green eyes glowing in the night. "Not as much as I would miss you for leaving." Leaning forward, she licked him on the cheek.

Danny knew there was no other way, but she would have to accept that. Her last words did make him feel better, though. Zainabu had just poured her heart out to him, but he was afraid of telling her of his feelings. If he told her he loved her, then he would be being unfair to her because he was leaving, he was a man and she was an animal, and they wouldn't be able to have a family.

Danny rocked her back and forth as her crying only got worse. "Zee, I'm so sorry. But I have to go, I have to return to my kind. If I could take you with me, you know I would. I'd feel so much better if you could come with me." He pulled her face up and kissed her on the nose. "You'll always have a special place in my heart that no one else can take, even when I return to my old life. I'm gonna miss you so much, Zee."

"No," she said with a raspy tone. "No. No. No!" She kept repeating, her tears flowing unchecked. This was just too much for her to take. All the emotions flooded through her so hard and fast that she felt as though she were boxed in a tight spot. First, Simba had insulted her before about not understanding his situation because she had no cubs, and now Danny was leaving. She kept crying until she finally fell asleep.

Danny began to cry softly. This was the hardest thing he ever had to do. When he was a teenager, he never really focused that much on girls. He was mostly focused on his football career in high school and spending the summers training on his ship. This was about as close as he got with Zainabu. He finally got up and gently set her down on the ground. He needed some time away from her to think about things.

The slope felt like it was a mile long as he went down. So many thoughts flooded his mind that he almost didn't see the rescue party return from the rescue attempt. A loud growl snapped him out of his thoughts. He saw Simba blocking the entrance to the cave, with Kovu standing there staring at him. Danny nodded. _Yeah, that's what I would do with someone I didn't trust. I wouldn't let them in the cave either._ Simba walked inside, while Kovu headed next to a rock at the base of the promontory.

Danny watched Kiara come up the slope and stop. She looked at Kovu and back at the cave. She headed over to Kovu to speak with him. "Heh…thanks for saving me out there."

Kovu, instead of giving appreciation for the thanks, he snorted. "What kind of hunter are you anyway, princess? You almost got yourself killed out there?"

Kiara's smile disappeared. "What?"

Kovu smiled. "You wouldn't last three days on your own."

Kiara moved closer, glowering at him. "Oh, and I suppose you could teach me?"

Kovu scoffed. "Yeah."

"Kiara!" Simba called from the den.

She turned around. "Coming." She ran in front of Kovu and turned to square herself with him. He stopped, wondering what she was doing. Kiara smirked. "Alright, impress me. We start at dawn the day after tomorrow." She walked off to the den, not bothering to turn back.

Kovu smirked. "I look forward to it."

Danny decided it was his turn to intervene and chat with Kovu. He would also help get his mind of his conversation with Zainabu. He walked up to Kovu, who was still staring after Kiara. When he heard the footsteps, he crouched low and growled. Danny immediately pulled out his pistol. He wasn't about to take any chances with Kovu. "Hey, easy buddy. If you want to stick around here, you'll tone down on the testosterone."

Kovu, immediately realizing his mission would be jeopardized by letting his aggression show, straightened. "My apologies, sire."

Danny waved him off. "Just call me Danny."

Kovu hesitated. He wasn't used to being informal. "Uh, sure…Danny. Is there something you want?"

Danny placed his pistol in his holster. "Just want to chat." He sat down and leaned himself against the rock. "So, you left the Outsiders. Any particular reason you left?"

Kovu maintained composure. He had to make sure he didn't slip up with Danny. The human was a lot harder to deceive, or so Zira said. That made him very dangerous. "I was simply sick of living in a termite mound. That and the Outsiders'…social policies were not the greatest."

The expression on Danny's face suggested he didn't believe him. "Well, if that was the case, why didn't you just leave when you first had the chance?"

"Didn't have one…not with the lionesses on patrol each night and day. Numerous attempts to escape were thwarted and left me being beaten by those that found me."

Danny wasn't sure if he was telling the truth, but he would let it slide. It wasn't like he would be dealing with him tomorrow. "So do you know who your mother and father are?"

That caught Kovu by surprise. It wasn't a question he was expecting. "Well, I know Zira is my mother. I don't know who my father is."

Danny shook his head sadly. Kovu was so far gone that he couldn't remember who his real parents were. He needed to know about that. Because he couldn't keep going on in life thinking Zira was his mother. Since it was his last night, Danny decided to set things straight. "Are you sure Zira is your mother?"

Kovu nodded. "As sure as I'm alive."

"Well to be honest, she is not your mother. In addition, not only do I know who your real mother is, I know who your father is as well."

Kovu sneered. "You mean the two who were with you and Simba? They're not my parents. And even if they were, why didn't they come and rescue me?"

Danny sighed. "Because Zira threatened to kill both you and Vitani if we came after them. Years ago, shortly after you and her were born, Zira led a revolt. It was because she thought that Simba and I killed Scar, which isn't true by the way. He fell down into a pit and was killed by the hyenas he had betrayed. Zira, in blind hatred, still holds us responsible. That's why she attacked us. While we were busy, she had two of her own nab you and your sister."

"By the time we found out, Zira and the others had been exiled and on their way out of the Pride Lands. We caught up to them, but she threatened to kill both of you if we tried to take you away from her. Your mother and father loved you so much that they would rather let Zira keep you and be alive than to have you killed."

Kovu shook his head. "I don't believe it. You're lying. I know you are."

Danny blinked and nodded. "You know I am? You don't anything about me, except what Zira's told you." He pointed out to the Pride Lands. "Tojo and Kula are your parents, not some psycho like Zira. They love you and would give their lives for you, but they did not want to leave you with Zira. If we could, we would've rescued both you and Vitani long ago and you would've lived here in peace."

Kovu lightened. "What are you getting at?"

"I'm saying to give them a chance. They had to endure three years of agony without you, and I don't know how much more they can endure. I also believe that you are not here for the right reasons. That fire today was beyond circumstantial. They don't just start out of the blue." He sighed. "Kovu, I can't make you believe any more than I can make the moon turn into the sun. But I will tell you that Zira is not your mother. Do you think how she treats you is motherly?"

Kovu nodded. "I see what you mean, and yeah, I don't believe her ways are motherly."

"That's what I'm saying," Danny replied. "Don't you see? Zira would use you as a pawn, a means to her ends. She doesn't care about anyone but herself, and will do anything to get revenge on me and Simba. Once we're out of the way, she will take the reigns and discard anyone else, and turn the Pride Lands into a desolate wasteland once again."

"A wasteland?" Kovu was stunned. "This place was a wasteland?"

"Yes, it was. But since I need to get some rest and am leaving in the morning, I would ask Simba about Scar and how he ruled the Pride Lands?" He saw Kovu nod and got up to head to the summit. "Make sure you do the right thing before it's too late. Once you make a critical decision, there's no turning back from it." He left and headed up the slope.

Kovu was stunned. For the first time in his life, he felt very confused. Danny's words had devastated him practically. The last few years of training had taught him to hide his true feelings, but he was sure he had shown them to Danny. He didn't know what to believe. He knew what his mission was, but if his mission was for the personal gains of someone and not for justice, what good was his honor _or _his mission?

Zira had always told him that Scar was a wise and shrewd leader. He had brought order and united the hyena and lion clans. But Simba and Danny rallied a few rebels to overthrow and murder Scar, and banished all of his followers. That left them on the outskirts of the Pride Lands, living in the termite mounds.

Danny was practically blowing that story away, and Kovu started to wonder which path he should choose. He would find out one way or another, but as until there was a clear story from the Pride Landers, he would stick with his mission. If things didn't clear up, then he would go about his objectives and take over the pride. He slowly fell asleep and let the darkness claim him.

****

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	14. The Fallen Strikes Back

**Hey, everyone. Glad you've been enjoying the story. Appreciate the reviews…keep them coming. As I said before, I will be giving 110% to finish this story before the summer. If not, then you'll have to wait until August. Just keep that in mind, so I suggest any readers place this story on their alert list to be safe. With that said, enjoy the chapter!**

Danny had woken up early the next morning. Simba, Sarabi, and a few others woke up to say their goodbyes to him. Timon, Pumbaa, Haraka, and Zazu were among them. Even Rafiki made an appearance to say wish him a fond farewell. Most of the pride, being lions after all, were still sleeping soundly. Everyone had said their goodbyes to him the day before, and were resuming their lives. Of course, losing Danny was a big blow, and he was sure some of them were having trouble sleeping at all.

Danny had helped teach new hunting techniques, and learned ones from the lionesses. He had led the pride through the worst time of their era, Scar's reign of terror. He had displayed bravery, composure, and the ability to defend the lionesses. He was a big brother to all of the cubs, and even when they reached adulthood, they still looked up to him. Losing him would leave a permanent hole in the pride. Sure they would recover from his loss, but they would never be the same again.

The only one who was missing was Zainabu. Danny frowned.

Zee had woken up before him and ran into the den, according to Simba. She was too heartbroken to come up and say goodbye. The emotional pain from the last night hurt her deeply, and she didn't even want to risk any more pain. She didn't want to talk to Danny, and part of him couldn't blame her.

He wished he could take her with him. He wished he could get a huge piece of land and live with Zainabu. But there was money and licensing, among other things in that department, in order to have her with him. Plus, if and when he started dating a girl, he would have half of his attention to the girl and the other to Zainabu. That would leave Zee feeling betrayed and hurt, and might vent it out on the girl or even Danny if they got near her.

Danny knew this was for the best for both of them. He went to say his final goodbyes to everyone. He rubbed Pumbaa's head but looked between both him and Timon. "Alright, jokers. I need you both to take care of Simba for me. Someone has to watch his back."

Simba glared. "Hey!"

Timon nodded. "Don't worry, Danny. We'll keep eyes on him at all times." He started to tear up. "I just hate…moments like…this…"

Danny chuckled. "Yeah, I know. I'm gonna miss you guys too." He got up to move to his appointed majordomo Haraka, just as Timon and Pumbaa began crying hysterically. He embraced Haraka tightly. "It's been good knowing you, 'Raka. I've enjoyed having fun with you as well as working with you. Now, you're free to go back to Hakimu and your coalition brothers." He was sure he heard a sigh of relief from Zazu.

Haraka rubbed his head on Danny's face. "Yeah, but it's just not gonna be the same without you. You've taught me not to judge someone by their species. I wish you could stay with us, though."

"I feel the same way, my friend. But I gotta do this."

He let go of him and walked over to Rafiki. "Rafiki, I haven't known you as well as the others, but I greatly appreciate the help you've been to the pride as well as me when I went down with injuries."

Rafiki gave him a hug. "My boy, I cannot 'tank you enough for da happiness and wisdom you've given dis pride. You shall stay in our hearts for da rest of our lives, no matta what happens."

Danny nodded and walked over to Zazu, who bowed. "It's been nice working with you, Zazu."

"And you also, your Majesty," he replied.

Danny rolled his eyes and smirked. _Still the same, old Zazu. _He walked to Kiara, Nala and Sarabi. Simba remained behind them, letting them say their goodbyes. He went to Kiara first. Instead of a normal hug, he tackled her and wrestled around with her playfully. It was one of the last times they could play together, so he jumped on top of her while she giggled and tried to free herself. He took his knuckles and gave her a noogie all the while tickling her. Finally, he got up and gave her a hug. "I'm gonna miss you, Kiara."

She couldn't keep the tears in her eyes, but part of that was from laughing so hard. "Me too. I love you, Uncle Danny."

Danny hugged her tightly. "I love you too. Behave well, obey your parents, and enjoy things."

"I'll try," she said, acting like she didn't care.

Danny laughed as he moved to Nala. He remembered when he helped raise her. Like Kiara, he played with her, shared good times with her, and comforted her during times of sadness. When Sarafina died, Sarabi and Danny became her surrogate parents. They took care of her and even had fun with her, at least as fun as anything could be during Scar's reign of terror. Danny could never have as much fun with her as he did with Nala. He embraced Nala, who licked his face. "Take care, Nala. I wish we could've had better times during your childhood."

She smiled. "Don't worry about that. I can say without a doubt that our times were unique and special. I will never forget you. Nobody will ever forget you here."

"As long as the grandchildren are given the story of when I came here, that sounds like a plan," Danny said. He finally walked to the two special lions he called his family.

Sarabi was the first up for the final goodbyes. She was instrumental in Danny's acceptance to the pride along with Mufasa, and was one of the strongest beings he had ever known. Even after the death of Mufasa, she teamed with Danny to lead the pride while Scar reigned. They shared a close mother-son relationship, and having to say goodbye to her son was the hardest thing for a mother. They both shared one last hug together. Sarabi cried. "Danny, you have no idea how much I love you. I'm going to miss you very badly."

Danny also shared in the crying. "I'm gonna miss you too, mom. You have been there for me when I needed the support the most. I still have pictures of us. They will stay in my ship, pinned up for me to see. The same goes for everyone else."

"Thanks for the memories, Danny," Sarabi said, tearfully.

"Likewise," Danny got up and walked over to the lion he called his brother. Simba and him spent three years apart from each other, but during the times they did spend together, they were priceless. They had their moments when Simba was a cub, and caught up on things as adults and kings together. Some saw it as very informal, but that's what happens when royalty training was forgone their entire lives. "Well, I guess this is it, little brother."

Simba smirked. "Who are you calling 'little?'" He hugged him. "It's not gonna be the same without you, man."

Danny chuckled and returned the hug. "I hear that. But then again, things will return to what they were supposed to be. I'll be back with my people, and hopefully my family too. And things will run just like they should've before I showed up."

"It still will leave a permanent mark on this pride. Hopefully, your tale will continue to be told for generations to come."

"I appreciate that," Danny said. "But just make sure-"

"Sire, a flyer is coming in and fast," Zazu exclaimed rather loudly.

Everyone turned to see a bird in the air making a frantic dive for the Pride Rock summit. It was alone, so no one believed it would attack them. The bird would have to be extremely hungry or stupid to do that, possibly both. When it got closer, they noticed that it was a falcon, one of the deadliest birds known. But at the lateral direction of its flight combined with its wings spread out, it didn't seem to be hostile. The others waited to see if it would.

The falcon landed and caught its breath quickly. It bowed with respect. "Greetings, oh Kings of the Pride Lands." The falcon was female from her tone. She brought herself back up. "I have a message for King Danny."

Danny pointed at himself. "That would be me, messenger. What's the message?"

"King Jabari's time is drawing near. He only has a few more hours to live, at best." The falcon's words sent a tremor through everyone's emotions. Danny was especially hurt. Jabari was one of his longest lasting friends, and met under some bad circumstances. But they became fast friends, and were very close. Danny knew this day was coming, but he wished it wouldn't. "He requests to see King Danny immediately."

"Well, that shouldn't be too hard. I was on my way out. Is Malka going to be there?"

The falcon nodded. "Yes, sire. He is preparing to leave for the king's passing."

Danny was glad to hear his other brother was going to be there as well. "Tell him to wait at his own home so that I can pick him up. We'll be there in an hour, messenger. Now go."

"At once, oh King." The falcon bowed and took off for the Mountain Pride, where Malka was.

Danny turned to the others. "Well, I guess I have one more stop before I head out for good." He looked at all of them. "It's been quite a ride with you guys, and I sure won't forget this as long as I live. Just whatever you guys do, don't ever look back. Otherwise, it's gonna hold you down."

"We won't look back, Danny," Nala replied.

"Goodbye, guys." Danny said, before turning around to head for the ramp. The rest of the pride followed him to the ramp, but did not come aboard. Danny stopped at the edge and turned around. He gave them one last smile before grabbing the lever to the ramp, pulling up. The ramp jerked and began to close.

Even though they were disappearing from his sight, Danny kept his eyes on the pride, on the family that took him on all those years ago. Their imploring expressions were almost too much for him to bear, but he kept his eyes on them. Those few seconds seemed like hours, but soon, there was no more seeing them, and the pictures he took of each pride member would be his only visual memories aside from his mind. They watched him as he began to disappear out of their sight as well. Most had tears in their eyes, but some of them maintained their composure. The last thing both parties saw was the others' eyes before the ramp closed completely.

Danny didn't let any tears fall this time, but the pained look on his face was just as sad. He turned around to walk to the cockpit of the ship. He opened the hatch and found his seat. In other times, he just happened to notice the empty chairs in the cockpit. There were four chairs, including his own. But it was only now that he noticed that the empty chairs made him feel alone. But hopefully, if his family was still alive, he would fill those chairs again.

Danny shook his head. _If they are still alive. I can only hope._ He sat down and began his pre-flight checklist. Once completed, he began igniting the ship, and the engines slowly began to come to life. Soon, it was at full power. When the board showed green lights all over the board, the computer's AI came online.

"_Paratus Preliator online. Plot course." _The computer spoke to Danny with the same monotone he grew accustomed to.

Danny wasn't fully recovered from the emotions. "Set…set for pre-nav course one-one-three." That was the course to Jabari's home, with Malka's right in the middle of the course. He would stop at Malka's to pick him up and then head to Jabari's. He just hoped that he would make it through this day and continue on with life.

****

Zainabu watched as the _**Paratus Preliator **_took off in the direction of Malka's homeland. She had left before Danny had even woken up, a first for her. But she couldn't bear the pain of him leaving for good. Before he even came, she wondered if she'd ever find someone for her, and it seemed as though Danny had been the one.

But he still thought realistically because he was a man and she was a lioness. Now, her chances of love were gone with the man in the ship fading from her view. Before she went back into the cave, she took one, last look at the ship. "Goodbye, Danny. I will never forget you."

****

Danny still felt like crap. Even after he had picked up Malka, he couldn't feel any better. Malka had tried to comfort him on the way, but it did minimal good. Danny had spent seven years in these lands, and to leave them for the possibility of his family still being alive made him wonder if he'd made the right decision. Malka knew this would be his last time to see his big brother and would take the time to say his goodbyes.

But now, they were heading to say goodbyes to an old friend of theirs. Jabari was on his deathbed, so to speak, and they were pushing to make it before he passed away. Already, they could see the pride gathered in the shade of some trees by the beach. Danny leaned over. "Looks like they're waiting for us, Malka. I'm gonna set down on the beach and then we'll head over to the pride."

"Sounds good," was all that Malka said, but to be honest, he was feeling nearly as down as Danny was. Jabari had been a good friend to them, but he was more closer to Danny than he was to Malka. Still, they would pay their final wishes and respects for Jabari.

Danny lowered the ship, the engines kicking up the sand along the beach. Thankfully, no one was near. Otherwise, they would receive a mouthful and eyeful of sand. Deploying the landing gear, Danny touched down on the beach and began powering down the engine systems, but leaving them primed for a takeoff.

Danny threw down the ramp lever and began walking, with Malka beside him. The ramp reached the ground just as they were about to step off. They then proceeded to walk over to the pride.

Alijiah, Jabari's mate, saw them and ran over to them. It was clear that age was catching up to her, as evidenced by her limping. She was about thirteen years old, and nearing the end of her life as well. Danny got down on his knee as she laid her head on his shoulder. "Oh, Danny. I'm glad you're here. Jabari's holding on, but not for much longer. Please come over here. He wants to see you before he…"

Her head dropped off of Danny's shoulder. She was sad, but who wouldn't be when their spouse is dying. Danny wrapped his arms around her. "I know, Alijiah, I know. Let's go see him."

They walked over to the rest of the pride. When they came close, the pride parted for the queen and the two visiting kings. Danny saw three adolescent lions near Jabari. He deducted that they were Amiri, Tupac, and Kashore. They all wore sad, grieving expressions.

But the lion who had Danny's full attention was the one on the ground, lying on his side. The dark furred lion who reigned in the lands for over seven years was now in his final moments. Jabari, despite this, kept his green eyes shining. He looked up to see the two newcomers. "Danny, Malka, glad you could make it."

Danny got down and wrapped his arms around him. "Hey, old friend. I'm glad I made it in time. I couldn't let you leave without me stopping by."

"That goes double for me, old timer," Malka added in.

Jabari smiled weakly. "I appreciate it, guys. The worst thing ever is to die alone. I am so thankful that I can leave among all my friends."

"Daddy, you're not going to die. You'll be alright." That came from Kashore, trying to deny the inevitable.

Jabari placed a paw on her. "Don't worry about me, Kashore. I will be moving from this life to the next. The Lord is with me, and he will be with you. I've lived my life in happiness and joy, and I can't thank the Creator enough for that."

He turned to Alijiah. "Alijiah, my love. You have always stood by my side, and without you, I would never be complete. You have brought me happiness, support, wisdom, and compassion. I am so glad that I was able to spend my entire life with you, and raise a wonderful family together. I want you to continue to watch over the children. Amiri will need advice as king, help him with the transition."

Alijiah's eyes were wet and glowing. "Oh, Jabari. I will do this for you. I love you so much."

Jabari smiled and looked at the bigger of the two lions next to him, bearing similar resemblance to his father. "Amiri, I have raised both you and Tupac to be prepared to lead the pride. With you as the oldest, I hereby appoint you as king of the Shore Pride. You are given a great power, but it is a great responsibility. You must lead the pride, take care of them, and protect them as well as the people. Remember, a leader is the ultimate servant. Even as king, I learned that from this goofball here," he said, pointing his paw at Danny.

Danny chuckled weakly as Amiri looked his way. "Yes, Father. I will take this responsibility and not take your training lightly. I will do my very best, dad. I will not let you down as the new king."

"I have no doubt of this, my son. You have my blessing." Jabari then turned to his only daughter. "Kashore, you have grown to be a beautiful lioness. You have everything to be a successful hunter and lioness of this pride. Your humor has been the most defining, but your kindness and compassion have also shown greatly. Continue to let these traits of yours shine, and continue to work on those that need it."

Kashore had tears streaming down her cheeks as she rest her head against her father's dark mane. "Yes, Daddy. I love you."

"I love you too," he replied.

Danny was having a hard time breathing. He could barely take all of the pain from the last twenty-four hours, and having his longest living friend in these parts about to die certainly wasn't helping. He looked over to see Malka not doing that much better, as he was tearing up as well.

Jabari faced his youngest child. "Tupac, you have not only learned everything you can from me, but you have also displayed an honorable life since you were born. You have fought the lands off from defenders before you were even two years old. Your warrior traits blend well with the leadership I have trained you in. Look up to your older brother, as he will be your leader from now on. Help him protect the lands, and always keep yourself prepared, should anything happen to him."

Tupac bowed low. "Yes, Father. I swear it will be so." He then moved forward to be close to his father.

Jabari then turned to his two friends from outside his lands. He started with Malka first. "Malka, my young friend. I remember you when we were first in prison many years ago. Thanks to Danny, it has started an alliance between his, mine, and your pride. You have become a fine leader, and I'm sure your father would be proud too. God bless you."

Malka barely choked out his statement. "T-Thanks, Jabari. You've been a…great f-friend and mentor."

Jabari finally turned to Danny. "Danny, I know that if you did not break us out of that prison years ago, I never would've been able to live the life I've had. I never would have two fine, young sons and a beautiful daughter."

"They definitely are," Danny said, watching Kashore blush deeply.

"You have been a great friend, and if I had a nephew, I'm sure he would be like you. You have shown amazing things to me and my pride, have rescued us twice from the enemy, and been a shining example to everyone around. I just wish I could've met your family. They must be proud."

The salt from his tears hit his mouth as Danny tried to keep from crying. "I wish you could too."

"You are a great leader, a great friend, and a great man. You have proven to all of us that humans can be trusted. I hope that others will be just as friendly as you have been. I'm glad you and I were friends."

"I feel the same way about you, Jabari. Your people have much to be proud about, mainly because of you."

"But that was because of what you did," Jabari replied. He coughed as he turned to look around. "Last, but not least, my blessing to my pride. You have supported me and followed me for so long. I can't tell you how proud I am of all of you. Now, I am complete. I ask as my dying wish to follow my son's reign and obey his word."

A lot of confirmations were heard among the lionesses. Danny placed his head against Jabari's side. He could hear Jabari's heartbeat getting slower and slower. Jabari's eyes began fluttering for a few moments. "Make me proud, everyone. Make…me…proud…"

His face froze and his eyes closed for the last time. Jabari, longtime king of the Shore Pride, had laid to rest for good. Tupac, his youngest son, quickly came over and kept nudging his father's face. "Come on, dad. Wake up, wake up." The more he said those words, the more cracked his voice got.

Danny placed a hand on the lion's shoulder. "Tupac…"

Tupac looked at him for a moment. Then he viciously shrugged off Danny's hand. "Get your hand off me!" He kept on nudging and nudging Jabari's face, but it did no good. He just refused to accept his father's passing.

Danny once again put his hand on Tupac. "Hey, Tupac." He didn't need to say anymore. Tupac finally backed off, nodding and raising his paw to indicate that he would stop and accept the facts. Danny knew how he felt. He didn't want a friend to pass on so fast in his life. To him, twelve years was too young, but in a lion's world, twelve years was a long time. He wanted to deny things as much as possible, but he had to come to conclusions.

He reached over and hugged Tupac. "It's okay," he said, his voice was very uneven. Malka joined in comforting Alijiah, Kashore, and Amiri as the rest of the pride bowed low in sadness to offer one last respect to their now departed king.

****

It was a couple hours later. Danny, Malka, and Tupac were sitting inside the cockpit of the _**Preliator**_. Amiri kept strong and gave comfort to the lionesses. Alijiah and Kashore were spending time to themselves. They needed some mother-daughter talk. The rest of the pride spent time on the beach, most crying themselves to sleep.

Danny was shaken. Not only was this his last stop here, but after he dropped off Malka, he was going to be on his own again. He hadn't felt like that since his family went missing, and that feeling slowly ate at him.

He sat in the chair as he and the two lions began sharing some funny stories involving them and Jabari. That lasted for about thirty minutes before they decided to stop. It definitely helped with the grief, but going on would make it seem like they weren't taking Jabari's death seriously.

Malka and Tupac were sitting on the floor while Danny was leaning back in one of the rear seats. Malka was asking Danny about his plans. "So what are you gonna do?"

"Well, after I drop you off, I'm heading out…for good this time. I'll probably search some of the smaller water veins, and if I can't find a yacht anywhere then I'll return back to my _original _home."

"What supplies do you have left, though?"

Danny thought it over. "Well, I have two gallons of drinkable water left and eighteen MRE's. I've been rationing those with the food I eat from my hunts, but I haven't had enough vegetables and diary foods like I'm supposed to have. I'm surprised my bones are in prime condition. I get more than enough meats and fruits, but my body needs other nutrients."

"I see…and your weapons?"

"Well, I only have about three full magazines for my M4 rifle. My M60 hasn't been used since we fought Scar all those years ago. I have two boxes left for those. I still haven't used my M107 sniper rifle, and even though I said to the pride I would never use it against animals, I might have to use it sooner or later. I still have fifteen magazines for those, about 150 shots."

"My big gauge shotgun still has plenty to go around, with about ninety shells and five screechers. Same goes for my pistol; it's got about seven clips but I hardly use it. Still got my two combat knives for hand-to-hand. But that's all I have left."

"I have no clue what most of that is, so I'm not going to bother trying to understand." Tupac frowned. "Exactly how long have you been living here?"

"I'd say about seven years have gone by since I first crashed here."

"Crashed?" he asked.

"I have no idea what happened. Some kind of anomaly trashed my ship while I was in space. I was searching for my family a month after they had disappeared. I was told they were presumed dead, but it was never confirmed. I can only hope they've been able to live on their own for the last few years."

Malka nodded. "Well, I can at least say that I was glad to know you all these years. Personally, I was kinda hoping you would be able to live with me in my kingdom."

Danny smiled and placed a hand on Malka. "If I didn't have my duties with Mufasa, I would've been right there with you, bro. It just wasn't meant to be, I guess. But soon, we're gonna-"

A ringing noise went off in the cockpit. It wasn't an alarm though, it was much more subtle. It was because of that subtlety that Danny's head snapped around to face the source of the noise. Malka and Tupac did the same. They were more curious as to what it was, but Danny looked almost terrified.

It was the intercom phone wired to his ship. Most ships would have a communications setup, and having and intercom phone made a lot of sense. A red light flashed next to it.

Malka looked at Danny. "What is that noise?"

The man didn't even bother to glance at the lion. His eyes and attention were focused solely on the phone, dread was coursing through his body. "It's my ship's intercom satellite phone. It's what my kind use to communicate over long distances."

Tupac frowned, confused. "Well, you look as though you've seen a ghost. Is there something wrong with talking on this…phone of yours?"

"One simple fact," he replied. He then showed two fingers. "Only two people know this number, and I'm one of them."

"Who is the other?"

"The guy who made it," Danny responded. "But he wouldn't have any reason to be calling me. Heck, I don't even know him. Besides which, I haven't been able to contact anyone since being here."

The phone kept ringing.

Malka nudged him. "Well, why don't you answer it?"

Danny didn't have a reason not to answer it, but for some reason, he felt an awful premonition. He was scared to answer the phone, for fear of who it might be, and why he was getting a call now. He slowly got out of his chair. _I guess I better answer it._ Danny slowly moved toward it. He felt as though time had slowed down; he didn't know why. Danny reached down, and his shaky hand picked the phone up, brining the receiver to his ear. "Who is this?"

"Pop quiz, hotshot. What do you do when you talk to the dead?"

Danny felt his heart stop. "You…" It was the last voice he expected to hear. At one point in life, he would've shrugged this off as a stalker threat or some telemarketer. But he couldn't; he knew the voice. It had been years since he last heard it, but he still recognized it. It was the voice of the one who he left for dead and never heard from again. The one whose installation he had destroyed. The one who haunted his dreams for the last four years.

It was Dasyu.

****

Sarabi and Nala gathered the lionesses together. For the first time, they gathered together without Danny seeing them off before hunts. It was different, and the emptiness was felt by everyone. Still, they had to continue with their duties. They still had to hunt to bring food to the pride.

Nala definitely felt the loss. Danny was her hero for her entire life. He played with her, defended her, and helped teach her some valuable lessons. About the only member of the pride who would not be effected as much was her son Kopa. He only knew Danny for a couple of months, but definitely enjoyed playing with the human.

She gathered the lionesses together and spoke to them. "Alright, is everyone here?"

Kiara answered. "Everyone but Zainabu, Mom. She's still in the cave."

This didn't surprise her, or anyone for that matter. Zainabu had strong feelings for Danny, and having him abruptly leave had devastated her. Nala made a mental note to speak with her after setting up teams. "Alright, then. Sarabi, you take Aziza, Shani, Ebere, Kula, and Berhane. Xolani, you pick your team. I'm going to speak with Zainabu and see if she's alright. Whoever's leftover will be with me."

As the lionesses began forming teams, Nala began to turn towards the cave. Kiara walked up beside her, and Nala noticed. "Kiara, where's Kovu?"

The question caught her off-guard. "Oh…he's with the sentinels and getting an understanding of what they do."

"Really? Because I would've thought he would be with you," Nala said playfully."Mom…" Kiara started to blush.

"I'm just teasing you, dear. But wait out here right now. I want to talk to Zainabu in private," Nala said, her voice returning with a more serious edge. Kiara nodded and left to rejoin the ranks of the lionesses. Nala walked into the cave and easily spotted Zainabu sitting down, staring at the walls.

Zainabu was a wreck. She had dark streaks under her eyes, indicating she had been crying a lot. But the pain in her face was evident, and when Nala got close, she looked up. Her eyes were red all over. "Yes, Nala?" Her voice was cracked.

Nala gave her a smile. "Are you gonna be coming with us on the hunt?" She pretty much knew the answer to that question.

"No disrespect, Nala, but I'm not coming today. It's just…Danny…"

Nala slowly nodded. "I understand. I'll give you the next few days if you need to recover. Does that sound good?"

Zainabu nodded in response, but did not smile. "Yes, it does. Thank you for understanding." Nala left the cave to head back to the hunting party. Zainabu buried her face in the ground, covering her head with her paws. From this day forth, her life would never be the same. The one person whom she felt a connection with and was close to, was now gone for good. He would never return, and she would have to live the rest of her life without him. _Oh, Danny. Why did you have to leave me? Why? Why?_

****

"You can't be alive…it's impossible!" Danny practically shouted into the phone. He couldn't believe that Dasyu was still alive after their last encounter. Danny remembered shoving the electrical cable into the transformer's chest. Only a few minutes after that, he managed to escape before the mountain exploded. There was no way Dasyu could've made it out in time.

But hear he was, talking via phone to Danny. "I don't die easily, Danny. While you did fry my circuits to overload, it was a temporary one. Had you kept shocking me with the power cable, I might've actually died." His voice was now officially drained of humor, replaced by cold anger. "For four years, I put my resources into that mountain installation. For four years, I invested my life into it. You couldn't understand the kind of commitment I have, Danny. You think you can just ruin a person's hard work and walk away from it? I don't think so, buddy."

Danny growled. "It's because you're insane. You were trying to destroy this planet, and shape it to your twisted desires."

"Twisted? You don't know the meaning of the word 'twisted'."

"Then refresh my memory, Dasyu. What were you here for?"

Dasyu laughed. "You know what I plan to do. I want to destroy everything that breathes air on this planet and consume every natural resource. Then, after setting up a global base of operations, we simply jump ship to the next planet and do the same to them. With no one to rival my power, I will dominate and rule the universe, going out conquering and to conquer."

"It's kinda hard to that when you have no drones. Last I recall, that factory of yours is now a smoldering crater."

"Who is it?" Malka asked. Danny waved him down.

To Danny's surprise, Dasyu sounded amused. "You think I wouldn't have a backup plan or two? With my dreams and goals, you've gotta remain a step ahead of the game. Tragically, you don't factor into them, save for one thing." He paused. "Before, I could've sent my drones out in automated fashion to destroy everything in sight. But you're ship would've made things easier. With its AI, my drones would hit what needed to be hit without expending any unnecessary resources. Now, my new ones are dependant on an AI."

Danny laughed loudly. "And you think I'm just gonna give it to you? Sorry, but you're not in a position to negotiate."

"True, but who's going to be in the nonnegotiable position when I cut that pride of yours down to size?"

Danny stopped laughing, as he felt a needle blow straight through his heart at the question. "You wouldn't dare!"

"Just goes to show you that you shouldn't mess around with people you don't know. But no matter how this turns out, you're gonna wish you had never known me, Danny."

Danny's voice went ice cold. "I'm gonna rip your limbs off one by one, I swear to God."

"Pop quiz again: one of my ships is about to make its presence known near your old home. What do you do, Danny? What do you do?"

Danny didn't answer. He suddenly realized that the pride was left unprotected, and open to an attack. He would need to hurry and fast. Otherwise, there may not be a pride to return to. This wasn't the end, and it was far from being over. He would need to fly with as much speed as he could.

Dasyu chuckled. "You have a little less than an hour, Danny. I suggest you head out soon if you want to save your furry friends. Ha HA HA!!"

Danny slammed the phone down on the intercom. He had heard enough, and now needed to return to the Pride Lands, pronto. He ran back to the ship and pulled the lever back on the wall, lifting the ramp. He knew he should've let Malka and Tupac get off, but there was no time. He turned around to head back to the cockpit.

Tupac stopped just in time to avoid knocking Danny over. "What's going on?"

"No time to explain. I need you to hold on for dear life. We've gotta get back to the Pride Lands ASAP." Danny jumped into his pilot's seat and began powering up the ship. He didn't bother with the checklist; it would cost him precious seconds that he couldn't afford to lose.

Malka came up next to him. "What was that all about?"

Danny didn't look at him, but he answered. "Dasyu's alive somehow. He's planning to attack the Pride Lands. I have to get back there to defend the pride."

Malka's jaw dropped at hearing Dasyu was still alive. "He's what!?"

"Who is Dasyu?" Tupac asked, frustrated that he was yet again clueless as to what was going on.

"No time to explain," Danny said. He gripped the controls and lifted the ship off the ground. He steered to aim the nose in the direction of the Pride Lands. He began increasing throttle and picked up incredible speed. "I just hope we make it there in time." But part of him felt as though it was already too late.

****

Sarabi tackled the impala and had it's neck easily in her grasp. Despite being twelve years old, she still had the grace, speed and strength of when she was half that age. Normally, the younger lionesses would be the ones chasing the prey, but she was able to keep up with them, for the most part.

She was strong, she had to be. With Danny gone, she and Nala had to take charge and remain firm to help the other lionesses who might otherwise still be hurting on the outside. She was good at masking her outward emotions, as was Nala, but inside they were both hurting as much as the others. Still, they had to press on.

"The others crowded around her. Aziza smiled. "Wow, Sarabi. For an old lioness, you still got it."

Sarabi smirked. "I'm going to pretend I never heard that, but thanks for the compliment."

"Yeah, you young girls still seem a step behind us old lionesses. If we're getting a kill easily, then you girls will need to pick up the pace." That was Ebere, who seemed a little offended at Aziza making fun of the senior lionesses. "It wouldn't look good if you can't keep up with us."

The three younger lionesses stared, speechless at Ebere's remark.

Sarabi could sense some uneasy and tension between them, and was quick to quell it. "Okay, okay. Enough with the comments. We got a kill and that's good enough for me."

Kula looked a little downcast. "It would've been nice if Danny could've accompanied us, though."

The rest of the group shared similar expressions. It was going to be different, but the pride would have to get on with their lives. For the time being, it was easier said than done, and even Sarabi was having trouble gripping that reality. Still, she had to stay strong. "Well, he's not. I miss him just much as you, but we can't mope and slack off on our duties. We have to provide food for the pride."

"I'm sure he feels the same way," Berhane added in. "But it's for the best. We'll hurt, but we'll recover, and soon thrive again. Would it be fair if we kept him hear with no mate to have a family with?"

Shani argued that point. "But Zainabu-"

"Yes," the elder lioness answered. "But they aren't the same species. Danny needs to find a mate of his own kind. If we truly love him, then we must learn to understand and respect his decision to leave."

The younger lionesses nodded. They weren't necessarily comfortable with it, but they would respect it. Understanding it, on the other hand, would take some time.

Sarabi was glad to see Berhane step in and offer some wisdom and reason. The older lionesses understood, for the most part, of Danny's departure. The younger ones would eventually understand, but would need time and patience to do so. She motioned Aziza and Shani to grab the impala. "Alright, let's grab our food and return to Pride-"

She stopped in mid-sentence as her ears perked up. The others did the same as they started hearing a noise. A very unusual noise. It didn't sound like any animal they had ever heard of. It was a droning noise, and it was coming from the sky. But it didn't sound like no bird they had ever heard, and it didn't sound like the _**Paratus Preliator**_ either.

As it got closer, Sarabi felt danger was coming closer and closer. Her tail whipped back and forth, and the others also began doing the same. They had no clue what that noise was, but their natural instincts were blaring sirens in their heads.

"What is that?" Aziza asked, fear evident in her voice.

Her answer came soon enough. A shadow swept across them. It stopped there and grew larger on the ground all around them. They all looked up to face the sky. At first, all they could see was the sun high in the sky. Then, an object began to blot out the sun from their view. It grew larger and larger, blocking out the sun entirely.

Soon, the blot began resolving itself into a ship. But it wasn't Danny's ship. Instead of an angular, disc-shaped starship, this ship had the ship of a bird of prey. It's body was a long frame, with sharp wings canted forward, like a bird swooping down to snatch prey from the ground. Whatever it was, it didn't seem to be friendly.

"Let's get out of here!" Berhane shouted.

But before they could even move, the ship opened up a portion of its belly. A second later, a wall of electrifying, translucent blue and white encircled the hunting party, trapping them in. Soon after that, a gaseous blue cloud descended from the ship. The lionesses crouched down in defense, growling. But when the gas reached them, they felt as though all their energy being drained from their bodies.

"What's happeni-" Ebere asked before falling to the ground.

"Hey, hey! What's goin-" Shani started to say before passing out as well.

Soon, everyone was out cold except for Sarabi. She was fighting the gas as much as she could, but willpower was not enough to match the potent chemical, and she soon found herself stumbling to stay upright. As she looked up, she could see through the energy barricade to see something approaching fast from the direction of Jabari's kingdom.

She couldn't tell for sure, but she knew what, or better yet, who it was. "Danny, I knew you'd come-" That was all she managed to say before dropping to the ground, unconscious.

****

Danny could see in the distance a ship hovering over a portion of the Pride Lands. It had an energy beam emerging from the belly of the ship. He zoomed his ship camera in on the shield barrier. He was horrified to see six lionesses caught in the beam. Upon closer examination, he could identify them as Sarabi, Berhane, Ebere, Aziza, Shani, and Kula. "No!"

He went into action immediately. Removing the safety locks, he loosed four missiles. All four were locked on and streaked in on their target. But as they were about to hit, Danny saw a shield dome flicker around the ship. The missiles impacted the ship, but all it did was flare the shields.

While the computer indicated a seventy-five percent damage to the shields, it didn't bring the ship down. What's worse, Danny saw a cannon extracting from the hull and taking aim on his ship. "Malka, Tupac, hang on!"

He began to slice right, but the cannon fired too fast. The shot slammed right into the port hull of the ship. Unlike the enemy ship, the _**Paratus Preliator **_sported no shields, only armor. Whatever the shot was, it functioned like an EMP. All electrical systems on the ship began shutting down.

Danny cursed. _This is not my day at all. _He fought the controls as best as he could. "We're going down, guys. Hang on to something!"

"What the heck to do you think we're doing!?" Tupac shouted back.

Danny ignored the comment and lowered the landing gear while he still had some power. He concentrated all of his power to the hover-thrust system and ignited the system. He felt the ship shake as he prayed for a smooth landing. The last thing he wanted was to be a permanent part of the ship.

Thankfully, the ship landed rather well, but far from smooth. It was enough of a landing jerk to make Danny bounce, bruising his butt. But the landing gear was still fully intact. Danny immediately got up and grabbed his rifle. Not bothering to check if Malka and Tupac were alright, Danny immediately threw down the lever for the ramp. As it began to lower, he rolled out as soon as there was space for him to fit. He couldn't waste any time.

He rolled out and landed on his feet. Danny sprinted with everything he had toward the barricade. He was determined to free his pride family from these freaks. He had already failed them by leaving them; he was not about to let that happen again.

The lionesses were being lifted up into the ship. Danny closed in on the beam. "Hold on, guys! I'm com-" As he reached the wall, the barricade turned into one, big taser. Not only was Danny's body shocked, he was sent flying back about ten feet.

The ship's beam disappeared back into the ship and began taking off. The ship began blasting off into the distance, toward the eastern border near the Outsiders' lands, leaving Danny behind.

Danny's body was twitching uncontrollably. He couldn't do anything, but that was what got him. He never had a chance to rescue them to begin with. He slowly managed to lift himself to face the ship that took some of his closest family.

The word that seldom pulsed through his mind since Scar's reign coursed through him. _Failure._ He had failed. He failed to recognize the threat that possibly still existed. He failed by leaving the Pride Lands completely unguarded. He failed to protect the pride, and on top of that, he failed to rescue them. Dasyu now had the hunting party that contained some of his closest friends and family, and there was nothing he could do now to stop it.

Danny watched the ship fade from his view. In fury, he threw up his arms in defiance. "NNNNOOOOOO!!!!!"

_TO BE CONTINUED…_

**What will happen next? I guess you'll have to wait and see.**


	15. Crossroads

**Okay, here's the next chapter. If the chapter seems to be lacking in content, by all means, let me know. At this point, I may be splitting the chapters up to cover both Danny's and Simba's side of the story. Enjoy!**

* * *

Dasyu watched the camera feed on the main screen. He was sitting in his command chair, watching the logged events in the lands where his nemesis, Danny, resided in. The command spire he was in offered the transformer an excellent view of the lands below him. Mountains were scattered among the entire region, all of them sparse of trees. But in between them were thick forests and jungles in between, but for a mile in any direction was nothing but open dirt terrain. The geographic isolation made it perfect for his next base of operations. It had taken him many years to start over, but it was well worth it.

On the main screen was footage of Danny, who received an electric shock from the gravitation beam emitting from the scout ship. He was lifting his arms and screaming loudly. Dasyu smiled. "If only I could have that pained look on my quarters' screen to ease me to sleep all the time. Hopefully, Danny will come after them." He clenched his fist. "Then, I will teach him what happens when he interferes with a man's lifework."

He got up. The whole point of this "snatch and grab" operation was to lure him here, more specifically, his ship. If he took the bait, then Dasyu would move in for the kill, removing any last threats of his plan and finally have a legitimate AI to become the single guiding intelligence his drones needed.

Dasyu smirked. _How ironic. I have all the tools to create a base of operations, an army of drones, and yet I don't have the resources or know-how to create a single artificial intelligence great enough to self-sufficiently operate the drones._ Even though he had eight transformer generals at his disposal, he would need the drones to be able to fully accomplish his mission. For that, he would need the AI from Danny's ship.

He keyed his com-link, built into his shoulder. "Good job, Striker. You managed to get in and get out, with no difficulty. Once again, you have kept your record intact. I look forward to seeing more from you."

A deep, British accent returned over the com. "Thanks, sir. I will be looking forward to some action, though. Snatch and grabs are nice, but I'm getting bored of this junk."

"In time, you will have ample opportunity to liberally utilize your greatest attribute. For now, you must be patient. What's your ETA?"

"ETA to base, three hours. Tell Malachi to be ready to spar. I need some more practice, boss."

Dasyu smirked. "I'll be sure to let him know, Dasyu out."

He walked over to his generals. Three were still awaiting completion of their new forms, leaving four standing at the edge of the command center. Each and every one of them had been branded on the shoulder with a blazing fist, the mark of the Specters. That was the name of their faction, and Specters were feared and respected among many worlds. This planet would soon be no different.

The tallest and most powerful looking one was a transformable lion, and as such, demanded respect. Third on the chain of command behind Dasyu and Striker, the being stood in front of the others. Like the others the lion head of his beast form was located on his chest, and the armored plates on his arms and legs gave him extra protection without the expense of his speed. His blue eyes were as cold as his expression.

The one next to the lion was a female leopard. She may have been a female, if there ever was such a thing for a transformer, but that was no weakness. In fact, it provided a deceptive advantage for her. If she caught an opponent hesitating for even a split-second, she would have her prey in a heartbeat, with nearly unmatched combat skills.

The last two were considered brothers. One was a small falcon whereas the other was a larger eagle. The smaller one was the more talkative one, leaving him as the voice of the two. The eagle, on the other hand, seldom said a word. He preferred to leave his words on the battlefield, leaving him a cold and calculating foe.

Dasyu came closer and they snapped to attention. "At ease…" He looked at them, starting with the lion and ending with the two brothers, naming them off respectfully. "…Boronas, Xev, Malachi, Talon. This is what we've planned for, and this is what we need to fight for. This may be one man we're dealing with, but if the past is any indication, he's not your average human."

They all exchanged nods. Danny had destroyed their last base of operations, and would not be underestimating him this time. If they did, they might end up as a smoking crater.

Dasyu looked at the lion. "Boronas, you will be flying your fighter to confront Danny. He will most likely be flying here, so be ready. I don't believe his ship is armed, but take no chances. I want you to disable his ship and force him to land. Then eliminate him. I don't care how you do it, just make sure the ship, particularly its AI, is intact. Understand?"

Boronas nodded. "Yes, my lord. I will see to it."

Dasyu could see the smile threatening to appear on the lion's face. He smirked. Boronas was eager. That was something Dasyu could count on. Otherwise, Boronas would be on a different playing field. "Good. As for the rest of you, I need you to be patrolling the area. Danny is no doubt a cunning foe, and he will use every advantage at his disposal. Make sure that he doesn't."

"Did you reveal to him our location?" Xev asked.

"No, but not to worry, my girl. He is, no doubt, a smart man. I'm sure Danny will…find the directions very soon. Once he does, that's when Boronas will be expected to move in." Dasyu watched Boronas crack his knuckles. He definitely was itching for combat. "Other than that, you are dismissed for training until the mission begins. I don't believe Danny will take too long to make his decision."

Malachi spoke up. "If I may ask, why did you not just capture this human and his ship? Not that I'm complaining about combat, but I would've thought a simpler plan would go a long way."

Dasyu grinned evilly. "That's because I want to enjoy my revenge. I want him to suffer…slowly, painfully. If I get what I want, I'll probably let his lionesses go and be free. They will only be able to enjoy their lives for a few measly days. If he doesn't come for them, I have other purposes I could use them for."

They all left, leaving Dasyu to be alone. The leader of the Specters thought over his security forces. They were a couple hundred transformers that could easily take care of Danny, but his resources here were so far expended that he didn't want to risk any more loss. If it meant killing Danny, then maybe, just maybe, it would be worth the risk. For now, he would leave the killing to his generals. But if things seriously got out of hand, then he would go with the old saying.

If you want to get things done, you've got to do it yourself.

* * *

Danny slammed his fist on the ground. He failed to rescue the hunting party, and now he was left with a huge crisis. The pride was now cut down a few lionesses, totaling around fifteen lionesses remaining. That wasn't all that bad, but it left the numbers about even with the Outsiders. If Zira and her clan were noticing any of this, they would realize they had an advantage. They would also know that Danny would probably leave and take a few more of the pride with him. That would leave the Pride Landers a lot more vulnerable to a takeover.

Bottom line was, Sarabi's hunting party was missing and he had to do something about it. Problem was, he didn't know where to start. He was in too much anguish to do anything at the moment, partially from the jolt he received from the barrier. Danny wished he had never left he Pride Lands. If he stayed, he wouldn't be in this mess.

But then again, with Dasyu alive now, how could he repel the abduction and then leave? He would have to stay or go and get help. Problem was, he hadn't come into contact with a single human soul in seven years. If he did take off, then he would leave the Pride Lands vulnerable to attack by Dasyu.

This was now beyond the situation with the Outsiders. They were a minor concern compared to Dasyu. Danny could take them on with his rifle all by himself and be done with them, but that wasn't who he was. With them, anyways. Dasyu was a completely different story.

He heard Malka and Tupac come up behind him, but he refused to turn around. "I was so close, guys. If only we made it earlier…we could've saved them."

Malka placed a paw on Danny's shoulder. "I'm not sure what to say. You had no idea it was gonna happen until Dasyu called. He probably timed it so you would just miss out by a few seconds just to torture you."

"I'm with Malka on this one," Tupac added. "You did everything you could to reach them."

"That's still not making me feel any better, though." He heard more noise behind him and could only fathom who it might be. "Great. More people to share the grief with."

He got up and turned to see Simba, Kovu, and the sentinels all running their way. Off to their left, two separate hunting parties were joining up and heading in their direction. Danny was pretty sure that the entire kingdom watched the events take place. They rushed frantically to the three in hopes of getting some answers.

Simba reached them first. "Danny!" He was surprised to even see Danny again since he had decided to leave for good. He was also surprised to see Malka and another lion who he did not recognize. "What happened here?"

Danny looked down at the ground in sadness. He decided to wait for the hunting parties to reach them so he could just tell everyone at once. This was not going to be good. He was still in pain from the shock and had trouble moving, but he would recover from that. But that was the least of his problems. He now had to make a huge announcement and decision to make. The decision would need to be thought out first, though.

Simba seemed worried. "Well, come on, Danny. What happened? We saw some ship fly in and fly out. Was it one of your kind's ships?"

"No," Danny shook his head. "It's worse…much worse, I'm afraid." He waited for the hunting party as they arrived. They came up and stopped to catch their breath. They had clearly run a long distance without stopping, so it would take a minute to regain their normal breathing.

When they did, they all looked at Danny with expectant and shocked eyes. They did not expect to see him back in the Pride Lands. But they brushed that aside. They all wanted answers. Nala cocked her head towards the direction of the ship. "Danny, what happened here?"

Danny sighed sadly. "Someone took Sarabi's hunting party." Everyone gasped at hearing this. Simba was especially effected. The one who was looked up to as a mother to all, Sarabi, was taken from them. That was a huge blow for all of them, but Danny, Nala, and Simba took it the hardest. "I could easily identify the others. With Sarabi was Ebere, Berhane, Kula, Aziza, and Shani."

"What!?" The three sentinels shouted. They were devastated and raging with fury at the abduction of their mates. "We have to go after them," Tojo said.

Others made agreements, but some didn't seem so convinced. They didn't know what they were up against, let alone knowing where to start looking. At least, such was the case with most of the pride. Chumvi, the sentinel known for his dark fur, Simba, and Danny all had an idea of both.

Danny knew who it was and possibly where Dasyu was located at. He would need to think things through on whether he should go after Sarabi or not. If Sarabi were here, she might've wanted him to stay and live on with his life. She was getting old, as was Ebere and Berhane. Problem was, the sentinels would have a different say in the matter. They would not leave their mates at the hands of a psycho and would sacrifice their lives without question to save them.

Chumvi was remembering the day he and Aziza were out on patrol when he encountered the mysterious figure that gave him a warning, and the fact that he never spoke to Danny about it.

**** _Flashback_

"Do you hear that?" Chumvi asked.

Aziza, who was with him on patrol, shook her head. "I don't hear anyth-"

"Right there." A warbling, guttural noise was heard at a faint pitch. It was followed by an eerie, metallic clap. Dread filled both of them, as the noise became louder and louder with each passing moment. Whatever it was, it was coming closer and closer to them. Problem was, they couldn't see anything. With cloudy weather and an incoming rainstorm and thunder, their vision was limited. Chumvi frowned. "Where is that noise coming from?"

Aziza was frightened. "I don't know, but I wanna get out of here. Please, Chumvi."

Chumvi waited for anything to happen. He was somewhat disappointed that nothing came. The lion shook his head. "I wonder where it went?" He asked rhetorically. Knowing he would not have an answer, Chumvi turned around. "Come on, let's go."

From the tall grass, a hand grabbed Chumvi's leg. He roared and pulled back. It struck him as odd that the hand was cold as ice. Chumvi and Aziza turned to face a creature they had never seen before. It had a similar structure to Danny's species, but it was made out of a material much like Danny's tools and ship. Chumvi frowned. _What did Danny call it? Oh, metal._ The being's scariest feature was it's bright red eyes, giving the figure a demonic look. "You seem scared, furball. Why is that?"

Chumvi tried to maintain his composure but he knew he was failing. "The fact that you just grabbed me and I've never seen your kind before."

The being laughed. "Oh, get used to it. The storm is coming, and there's nothing you can do to stop it." He waved around. "Don't you see? This land of yours, this paradise you live in…it's not gonna last. You think you're all happy, but we'll see if you think the same when this place is nothing but slag and a glassed surface."

"What are you talking about?" Chumvi demanded.

The being leered at him. "You're not listening, aren't you? Well, I guess I should just keep quiet and let you find out for yourselves." He gazed at them, his eyes jerked back and forth at the two, as if something in the shadows was going to jump out at the being. "The one who leads us will rise up and take everything for himself, even you. Enjoy your time now and pray you die off before it happens, because when it does, you'll wish you were dead."

Chumvi narrowed his eyes. "Who? Who will lead you?"

The creature's red eyes glowed. "_Him._"

"Who are you?" Aziza asked.

"Just one who serves him who will go out conquering and to conquer." The being laughed maniacally before sparks and tiny explosions peppered the body of the metal beast. It finally went limp, and it's eyes went black.

* * *

Chumvi felt as if he had been jolted by lightning. He knew this was coming. The creature had warned him, but he didn't tell Danny. He had told Simba the situation, but didn't tell Danny. Even though Simba did not inform Danny, Chumvi knew he was responsible for reporting. He didn't want to put any more stress on Danny than he had at the time. Now, he realized that Danny was going to be furious for not reporting.

Danny was speaking to the pride about the current situation. "Some of you know the story about what happened to me when I first came here; Malka has first-hand experience. I was captured when I went back for my ship. The people who captured me were transformers. They may look like humans or animals, but they're really robots in disguise. I ended up escaping and destroying their mountain fortress."

He sighed. "The leader's name is Dasyu. How he's still alive, I don't know."

"What do you mean?" A lioness asked.

"I thought I killed him when I shocked him with a power cable. Even if he survived that, the base exploded two minutes later. I have no idea how he made it out, but it doesn't matter now. He's alive and poses a grave threat to all of us."

Simba frowned. "So why did they take Mother and her hunting party?"

"Dasyu really doesn't want them. He wants me, particularly my ship. It has a computer that will give his army a decent brain to effectively wipe out all life on this planet. He took Sarabi to force me to go after them and lure me into a trap, no doubt. It has nothing to do with them…" He slapped his hands together in frustration. "…absolutely nothing."

The others looked at him, amazed. "How did you find out about him being alive?" Kiara asked.

Danny shook his head. "He contacted me through my ship. I don't know he could, but he did. Now, he has Sarabi and the others in his custody."

Tojo stepped forward. The expression on his face told the others what he was about to say. "We need to go after them. We can't just leave them."

"So what do you recommend?" Zuri, another lioness asked. "Should we all leave this land and take on these creeps? It's suicide!"

"You would want someone to rescue you if you were taken from your family," Mheetu shot back angrily.

"We don't even know where to start, so how can we find them?"

The arguing went on until Danny tried to stop it. "Guys, we're not going to get anywhere right at the moment. We need to…guys, stop arguing! Guys!? Hey!" He looked at Simba and motioned for him to shut them up. Simba let out a deafening roar. That got the attention of all the pride. Danny let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Simba. Look, people. We're not going to get anywhere if we argue about this. We need to relax and discuss this, not get into a shouting match."

"This all could've been avoided if you were still here and not deciding to leave to go home," a lioness said.

Danny recognized her as Tavira, one of the younger lionesses. Her words hurt him deeply, putting him on the defensive. "Hey, for one, that was _my _decision to return to _my _kind. You would want the same thing down the road if you were in my shoes. Secondly, I had no idea until two hours ago that Dasyu was still alive. I had no way of knowing. If I did, I would-"

He stopped as he noticed a lion backing away. Danny immediately realized it was Chumvi, who was backing away in fear. Danny could all but confirm that he was hiding something, and that something had to do with this very situation. He glared at the sentinel and made his way toward him.

Chumvi stopped and almost closed his eyes, refusing to meet the death gaze Danny was giving him. He knew Danny saw him and knew something was up. Now, he would have to confess what he found. He gulped as Danny stopped in front of him.

Danny narrowed his eyes. "Chumvi, what are you hiding from me?" He sounded like a parent about to scold their child.

Chumvi felt a knot tightening in his throat and found it difficult to even breathe. "I…I had an incident a couple years ago. A metal creature told me someone was coming. He said someone would come and destroy everything here."

Danny was livid. He took a few more steps forward. "You mean you knew and you didn't report to me!? I could've prevented Dasyu from taking anyone from this land. Do you realize what we're into now?"

"I didn't want to put any more stress on you than you already had," Chumvi replied, soberly. He thought he was doing the right thing by telling only Simba and not the others. He was just trying to avoid giving more problems to Danny, as he was already stressed with Zira and trying to find his family.

Danny waved around. "Yeah? Well, look what stress I'm under now. I never would've left if I had known that. Congratulations, Chumvi. Damn it!" He headed back to the _**Paratus Preliator**_ to try a cold start so his ship could still fly.

Chumvi let a tear stream down his cheek. _I was just doing what I thought was right. _The others looked at him sympathetically, but it did little good. He felt like absolutely horrible, and now his mate was gone, captured at the hands of Dasyu. He lowered his head and wept silently.

Kovu, who was on the outside of the pride, watched with amazement. He didn't know what to make of this whole deal. He had no idea who this Dasyu was, but he sounded like he was a real problem. Danny seemed like he could keep his cool, and seeing him like this made Kovu think his mission was puny compared to what was happening.

He walked up to Kiara. He could tell from the look on her face that she was devastated. It was not just from Danny losing his cool in front of her, it was the fact that her grandmother had been taken from her. Kovu stopped next to her. "Is this a normal day in the life of the Pride Lands?"

Kiara, normally one of brightness and curiosity, was now feeling down and shaken. She looked at him. "No, it's usually a lot better than this. I can only hope this gets resolved soon."

* * *

The pride headed back to Pride Rock. Zainabu was more than happy to see Danny again, but was saddened to hear the reason he was back. Right now, he was alone in the den while the rest of the pride waited outside. He needed some time alone while the pride discussed what was going to happen. So much had been going on during the day, that they were getting a bit anxious right now. The other animal clans were beginning to wonder what was going on. Simba knew they would need to be addressed soon.

Some of the pride had made up their minds on decisions. The sentinels had made up their minds. If Danny went out after Dasyu, they were going with him. They would not live the rest of their lives without their mates, and would follow Danny into the Battle of Armageddon and back. Haraka, Danny's personal majordomo, was also going with them.

Timon, on the other hand, was frantic about them leaving. It would give Zira and opportunity she couldn't resist to attack, and Kovu was still not someone he would trust. He was giving some constructive criticism to Haraka and the sentinels. "Danny doesn't need your help. He's got his weapons and his ship. Why does he need you guys? We need you here to protect us and the lands."

They all just stared at him. Their minds were made up and they were not about to change anytime soon. Timon sighed. "I know you four are listening to me as much as this rock here," he said, pointing at the rock next to his foot. "So, I'll just tell you what I think. I think you've spent eight of your nine lives the last few years with what we've been through…"

"Get to the point," Tojo said.

"If you go out on some crazy rescue mission, I don't think you're just pushing your luck, I don't think you're crazy." His tone turned into a shout. "You have a death wish! A major, full-on Bronson!" He pointed at each one of them. "Since your lives obviously mean nothing to you, try to think about something that does have meaning, namely _my _life…"

"Shut up, Timon," Haraka said rather harshly.

Realizing he lost the conversation, he just sighed. "Sure, why not?" He walked away to rejoin Pumbaa.

Meanwhile, Kovu and Kiara were on the promontory talking when Malka showed up. He hadn't met them personally, and now was going to change that. He walked up and stopped in front of them. "I'm Malka, king of the Mountain Pride. I take it you're Kovu and Kiara?"

Kiara nodded. "Yeah, that's us."

"It's to meet you both. Danny has told me much about you, Kiara. You sound a lot like him and I when we were younger." He saw her blush as he looked at Kovu. "I'm afraid I don't know much about you, Kovu."

Kovu shrugged. "It's alright. I've only been part of this pride for about two days. How do you know Danny?"

Malka smiled. "We kinda met under some bad circumstances. We were both being held prisoner by Dasyu. I was just a cub then and was very hungry and thirsty. He offered me his water and food when he could've had it himself."

"That sounds like Uncle Danny," Kiara said.

Malka continued. "Yeah, well me and him bonded pretty closely. I don't know exactly how, but that's why we consider ourselves brothers. We escaped and kept in touch as best as we could, but our duties took up a lot of our time. Now, we have Dasyu to deal with."

Kovu frowned. "What are you gonna do about this?"

Malka pawed the ground. "If Danny decides to go after them, I probably will go with him. I should've been dead a long time ago, and he was a big reason for why I'm alive today. But we're gonna need everyone we can get to take Dasyu down, to be honest with you."

"Is he really that dangerous?" Kovu asked.

"Is he really that dangerous?" Malka repeated with a laugh. "Let me tell you something, kid. Dasyu is an ice-blooded monster who will stop at nothing to achieve his plans. He doesn't feel, he doesn't reason, and he does not feel pity toward anyone." Malka looked out among the lands. "If nothing stands in his way, then everything you see will be destroyed. Dasyu will kill my pride, Amiri's pride, Simba's pride, and even Zira's Outsiders."

Kovu was speechless. Malka continued. "This is beyond all of us, and it will take a combined effort to defeat him. I just hope this pride and its Outsiders square their differences away and cooperate, because it will take a united effort to take Dasyu down."

He walked off, leaving Kovu even more divided. He knew what his mission was, and he was questioning it to an extent. Now, he was wondering what the point of the mission was now. He enjoyed life here with Simba's pride and with Kiara. There was nothing but love in this pride, and yet he still couldn't understand it. The anger, hatred, and military lifestyle of the Outsiders was all he knew, and soon, he would have to make a move. It was only a matter of time.

Towards the den, Simba and Nala were sitting with their son Kopa. The cub was very alert, and was wondering what was going on. But his parents were deep in conversation, wondering what was going to happen. They knew whatever decision was made would permanently effect the pride. If they moved on, then Sarabi and the other five lionesses would be at the mercy of Dasyu. If they went on a rescue, some would probably lose their lives in doing so.

Simba seemed down and Nala moved in to comfort him. "It's alright, Simba. Your mother will be okay."

Her mate seemed less confident than she was, or he was being honest with his feelings. "How do we know that? She's at the hands of some nutcase that wants Danny and his ship. For all we know, she's being tort-"

He stopped as he saw Kopa looking at him with worried eyes. He seemed on the verge of crying. "Daddy, is everything alright?"

Simba sighed. "Yes, son. Your mother and I are just a little stressed, that's all." He looked back at Nala and quieted down. "I'm sorry. It's just that…she's my mother. Like you, she has always been there for me. I just want to know she's okay."

Nala licked Simba's cheek, trying to cheer him up. But she was just as hurt as he was. Sarabi was her mother-in-law, but treated her like she was her real mother. She knew what it was like to lose a mother, as Sarafina had passed away years ago. The pain had subsided, but would never fully go away. "I think that someone is watching over her."

"Are you talking about the kings of the past?" Simba asked."I'm actually talking about the God Danny mentions from time to time. If some all-powerful being is in control of everything, then that gives me comfort over a silent sky." Nala gave a slight smile. "Do you ever wonder if he might be right?"

Simba's face went slack. "I've thought about it, but never really made any decisions. Even if I did, so what? We're talking about a situation we have no control over."

Nala nodded. "Speaking of which, has Danny come to a decision yet on this?"

Simba shook his head. "No, he's still keeping to himself. He even asked Zee to remain outside. But right now, he wants time to himself in the den." He looked in at where Danny was sitting at. "I only hope he decides soon."

* * *

Danny sat in the den for about two hours. He had a lot on his mind, and it was generally rolling on one situation. Would he go out and rescue Sarabi and the others? He was in a limbo on this whole situation. Just this morning he was leaving to head back home. Now, he was back in the Pride Lands about to make a huge decision.

He never felt this defeated. Even during Scar's reign, he was able to figure out a way through things. But this time, he was facing the greatest challenge of his life. Dasyu was able to match his weapons plus the sheer amount of numbers of his people far outnumbered him. Yes, he would probably have a few members of the pride, but none could use his weapons. That left him stuck with nearly impossible odds.

In addition to feeling a sense of helplessness, he also felt guilty. He had lost his temper at Chumvi and chewed him out, and even started cussing. It was one thing he hated to do, especially with the younger cubs around. He made a mental note to apologize to Chumvi when he got the chance. Right now, his whole mind was now trained solely on what to do.

"Geez, if only I had made sure Dasyu was dead. Then we wouldn't be in this mess." He said to himself and the walls. This was just simply crazy, but crazy had never stopped him before. Then again, crazy usually didn't involve numerous guns having their sights trained on his head.

He remembered all the times with Sarabi and the moments they shared as mother and son. If it weren't for him and Simba being alive, she might have been deprived of all will to live. Danny missed all the fun they had together and all the deep conversations. Danny wanted to help her, but he wasn't sure if it would be a vain rescue attempt that would cost his life and the others. Not to mention if his ship was found by Dasyu, he would have his artificial intelligence to systematically destroy the entire world.

Then another thing popped into his head. What if he did nothing? The question jolted him. If he decided to leave and not rescue Sarabi and the others, he would be not only leaving them to be subjected to Dasyu's torture, but standing aside to let Dasyu move through the lands without anyone to stand in his way. Danny was, as far as he knew, the only one who stood in his way. He could search for help to stop Dasyu, but he didn't have much time to get working. If he stepped aside, then Dasyu would have little trouble pushing through.

Danny knew what would've happened had he not returned with Simba to fight Scar and the hyenas for possession of the Pride Lands. The entire pride would've starved to death and Simba would still be living large in the jungle. Now, it wasn't starvation as the outcome; it was total annihilation for the pride and everyone around.

He finally realized what the nightmare that had been tormenting him over the last few years had meant. The machine world he was dreaming in was what the world would look like if he didn't do anything. The tanks were the same drones that Dasyu possessed, leaving no question that he had countless tank drones at his disposal. The part of the pride members being captured was a sign of the future, which was happening now.

What he couldn't explain was the sentinels, Malka, Haraka, Zee, and Tupac being captured as well. They were with him, and weren't captured. He also couldn't explain his family's deaths. The only thing he could process was that they somehow still were alive, but like Sarabi and the others, if he didn't make a move soon, they would be dead as well.

That one part filled him with hope, realizing that his family might actually be alive after all these years. If he were to find his family and rescue them, then his mission here would be complete and he could return home with them.

This was personal, and Danny would make it a point to not make the same mistake of letting Dasyu live again. Slowly, but surely, Danny lifted his head up, brown eyes blazing. He knew what he had to do. "I'm comin' for you, Dasyu."

He got up and walked outside to the cave. Since it was middle of the afternoon, the sun was still shining brightly. Everyone saw him coming outside and rose to face him. Before he gave his answer, he walked over to Chumvi. He needed to apologize to him before anything else. He got down on one knee and wrapped Chumvi in a hug. "I'm sorry, bro. I didn't mean to yell and cuss you out like I did."

Chumvi placed a paw around his shoulder. "It's alright, Danny. I know you didn't mean anything by it. I'm sorry too, for not reporting the incident to you in the first place. Maybe we wouldn't even be in this mess."

"Don't worry about it," Danny stood up and faced the pride. "I've come to a decision. I'm going to rescue our pride members and drop the heavy end of the hammer on Dasyu."

Many cheered at hearing this. Danny was their king, their hero, and their champion. He had already gained the respect of many of the older lionesses from his leadership under Scar's reign, this cemented any doubts among the younger generations. But they also knew he was going to need some help on this. One man and a ship would probably not be enough.

Tojo stepped forward, with Chumvi and Mheetu flanking him. "Well, if you're going to crash the party, you're gonna need some extra muscle."

"Guys, he's after me. You guys should be safe if you stay here."

Mheetu stepped forward. "No way, Danny. We're not sitting here when our mates' lives are at stake. I'm not leaving Shani to the likes of Dasyu."

"And I'm not leaving Aziza out there alone," Chumvi added in.

"You guys realize that this is not a game. People can, and probably will, get killed." Danny was warning them to make sure they knew what they were getting into.

"We realize that," Tojo said, becoming serious for once. "But our mates' lives are more important than our own."

Danny smiled. It was good to see that his friends were willing to put their lives on the line for those they cared about most. He definitely rubbed off on them. "Thanks, guys. It's nice to have you with me."

He turned back to face the king cheetah who was his majordomo for so many years. "What about you, Haraka?"

Haraka kneaded his paws. "After everything you and I have been through, you really think I'm gonna turn you down? I'm with you all the way, pal. Count on it."

Danny and Haraka high-fived, then Danny looked at the last two lions he needed to ask. Malka and Tupac stood at the edge of the pride, but when Danny cleared the way, they were both facing him and the entire pride. Danny eyed them carefully. "How about it, boys?"

Malka shook his head. "This rescue mission of yours is suicide…"

Danny cocked his head. This wasn't sounding like the answer he wanted to hear. But he couldn't blame Malka and Tupac for not going. This wasn't their pride, and they had their duties back in their kingdoms. Still, it didn't sound like Malka was finished.

Malka smiled. "But they're your family."

Danny's smile found itself again. He knew from that statement where Malka stood on this. "You're in?"

The orange-furred lion nodded. "We're in."

Tupac slapped a paw on the ground, like a bull getting set to charge. "Let's do it."

Simba knew what to do from this point. Malka and Tupac's prides had to be known about the situation and what was going on. What better messenger to put up to the task than his own majordomo? "Zazu."

The hornbill came up next to Simba in an instant. "Yes, your Majesty?"

"Send a message to Malka and Tupac's kingdom. Tell their prides about the situation so that they can govern their people while the two of them are gone."

"At once, sire." He flew off, wasting no time. He knew everything, so he didn't have to wait to gather the whole story. With the day ending, he would have to spend the night at one of their kingdoms. Simba would last a day without a majordomo. The thing he wished he could do was go with them. But the Pride Lands needed a king, and with Zira prowling about, they couldn't afford to take any chances.

Danny turned around to face the pride, but mainly the sentinels and Haraka. "It'll take all of us to do it right. We've lost a few, but those who are going with me will change that. We take care of our own in these lands."

Simba came up next to him. "I know it will be hard for all of us, but we will have to go on with life. Zira's still out there, and we need to be on our guard for any…surprises." He shot Kovu a glare, but the dark lion didn't seem bothered by it. "We've all entrusted Danny with great tasks. I see no reason to stop that now."

Others nodded their heads in approval. Some of the more enthusiastic ones cheered and roared. They had full confidence in the formed rescue party. Danny was not among them. _If only trust meant greater chances of success…_ He knew this was crazy, but he had little to lose. The sentinels belonged in that category as well.

Danny nodded. "Alright, everyone let the rescue team eat their meals first. We leave as soon as we're done. Meet me up at my ship when you're finished."

As they scattered and the team began eating food, one lioness came forward. Danny immediately knew who it was. Half of him wanted her to go with him, but the other half of him didn't want anything to happen to her. "Danny, I was wondering if I could go with you on this mission," Zainabu said. Her green eyes glowed with hope.

Danny dropped down to place his hands on her shoulders. "Zee, this is going to be extremely dangerous. Lives are going to be lost, and I don't you to be among them. I don't want anything to happen to you."

_You are so sweet, Danny._ She licked his face. "I know that, but without you, I won't ever feel the same." She sighed. "I just want to be with you, Danny. If you die, I die too."

He realized there was no arguing her out of this, but he wouldn't have it any other way. He sighed. "I'm guessing there's no other way to change your mind?"

She beamed at hearing this. He sounded like he was leaning to let her come. "Are you kidding?"

Danny nodded. "Alright, then. You're in."

Zainabu cheered. "Yes!"

* * *

Zira and Vitani watched the events take place earlier in the day. They heard the noise and saw the ship pass over their termite mound. Zira watched it rise up into the sun and sent a few lionesses ahead to scout. They returned and informed her that a good number of lionesses were taken by a metal ship, but different than the human Danny flew with.

This was great news to Zira, to hear that the number of the Pridelanders had lost some members of their pride, making the numbers between the two clans about even. She was, however, slightly disappointed that Sarabi was taken. She wanted to personally enjoy killing Sarabi slowly, but losing that opportunity was next to meaningless compared with the bigger picture. Kovu was accepted into the pride and, while the pride had their doubts about him, he slipped in under the radar. Danny would've been the hardest to convince, and he seemed to be falling for the trick. If not for the fire and Kovu "rescuing" Kiara, the plan might've backfired. But it didn't and everything was proceeding as planned.

Now, Zira and Vitani were perched behind a dead tree, close to the Pride Lands, but in the shadows, they couldn't be seen from Pride Rock. They could easily hear what was going on. Zira nearly cheered at hearing what was said. Not only was Danny leaving to attempt a suicide rescue mission, he was taking the sentinels and his majordomo with him. This not only gave them a slight numbers advantage, but it would make things easier for Kovu. He could take out Simba while not having to worry about Danny and the other three males.

Things couldn't have been going better for Zira. She had been so patient at waiting for the right moment, and now it seemed to be paying off, big-time. She cackled. "Well, this has been an interesting turn of events."

"I'll say," Vitani said with a smile that matched her tone. "The plan has been absolutely flawless, Mother. We'll have the Pride Lands back in no time. Then we can pick up where Scar was at long last."

"Yes," Zira purred. "I have long awaited my return to this wretched land where I, like Scar, was betrayed by the pride I called my family. Only Simba now has the power to defeat us, but Kovu should see to that. He already is in good graces from rescuing Kiara plus their friendship with each other. Kiara would definitely vouch for him. But when Kovu has eliminated Simba from this world, then we shall move in."

"But what if Danny actually succeeds with his rescue attempt and returns?" Vitani asked.

To Zira, that was actually a good question. Still, she remained confident. "Whoever took Sarabi and the others away, I doubt even Danny, with all his tricks and weapons, could face them. But I pray that he does not succeed. If he does, we may have to ambush him the moment he comes off his ship when he returns. But again, like I said, I pray that doesn't happen."

She looked on and watched the ship Danny called the _**Paratus Preliator **_take off for the sky and head off in the direction of the other ship that carried off Sarabi's hunting party. Zira watched the ship head off and out of her sight. At this point, it seemed the pride was scattering around Pride Rock and enjoying the afternoon sun. Some were drifting off to sleep, but others stayed awake. Simba, now the only male besides Kovu, began heading out to patrol the lands. Nala also accompanied him. Kiara and Kovu could be seen sitting down with another cub, most likely the newest addition to Simba's family.

Zira motioned to Vitani. "Come on, let's go. We need to get back before they spot us. The clan will need to be informed, and we need to plot our next step in the operation."

The two lionesses slinked away, each covering each other's back so they could make it back safely. This was almost too good to be true. Now, they just needed to wait for Kovu's signal.

* * *

Danny set the ship forward towards the direction of the ship that carried his second mother away. He had spent his time saying goodbyes and eating before taking off. From this point on, his military commander side had to come into play. He would need it if he and the others were going to make it out alive. Right from the get-go, he had to plan out his approach. He would set things in motion in about ten minutes.

He set his ship for auto-pilot and swung his chair around. The others were crammed into the cockpit, waiting for him to explain their next move. "Okay, guys. Here's the plan. Right now, we only have a general direction of where Dasyu is keeping Sarabi and the others. I have mapped out the previous areas of terrain due to past trips. This was one spot I never got the chance to search out for my family in years past. This is where we'll start."

Everyone nodded. So far they seemed on-board with the situation. Danny continued. "However, that's the only leads we have for searching for our missing pride sisters. There is an option to help us though."

Haraka cocked his head, curious. "What's that?"

"A radar ping. It's a device that sends out a pulse of sound and listens for any reflections, or echoes. It only reflects on other electronic systems. If Dasyu's headquarters is big, and it's probably very big, we'll hear a big echo and will know the exact location of his stronghold. Simple as that."

"Wow, that's a great tool to have," Zainabu replied. The others nodded in agreement.

That is, all but Tojo. He looked skeptical. "Why do I feel a 'but' coming on?"

Danny sighed. "It will give away our _own _position." He saw their bright faces droop in disappointment. "Immediately after that, I'll already be high in the sky and getting ready to perform a steep skydive. It'll probably be enough to make you lose your lunch, but it's the only way to fool them. They'll have distortion from the clouds, and then I'll turn on the Iron Curtain system, rendering us effectively invisible."

He brought up a holograph of the map ahead of them. He zoomed in to a small canyon that contained a river and some vegetation. Danny zoomed further and pointed at a small cave under one of the canyon walls. "We'll land the ship in here. It's big enough to house all of us and will allow me to make a fire without having to worry about it being seen from the air."

Malka narrowed his eyes. He had one issue with the plan. "Where will we be staying during the dive?"

Danny pointed back at the maintenance bay. "The storage containers I have in the bay are the only things you can stay in safely. They're a little cramped, but you'll fit fairly well. They're locked down, so they won't go flying around in the ship. It's the only place you can safely stay. Otherwise, you might become my new ceiling decoration."

"Not funny," Tupac responded dryly.

"Then let's get this show on the road." Danny got up and headed back to the maintenance bay. For a medium-sized air-/space-craft, its bay was decently large. It housed the ship's housing, cargo, supplies, and weapons. Danny took them to the corner that housed the cargo. Big crates were lined up against the wall, totaling about twelve, more than enough for the seven companions Danny had with him.

He opened the smallest one and motioned for Haraka. "This is the smallest one. So in you go, Haraka."

The king cheetah rolled his eyes. "Of course, I get the smallest one."

Danny ignored his complaint. "There's a few holes in each of these crates so you can breathe. Last thing I want to see is everyone suffocating during this maneuver." He locked up Haraka's crate.

"That's a relief, because I value my breathing," Tojo said.

"Some of us thinking otherwise when it comes to you talking," Chumvi shot back.

Danny listened as others laughed at the remark. Sometimes, it was funny and relieving to hear the sentinels crack jokes on each other. They were all close, and it was good to see them beat the grind when things were stressful. "Alright, knock it off, guys." He opened up the other crates and put them in, one at a time. There wasn't much fuss between them, but when they spoke, the crates muffled their voices. That was a relief, because Danny did not want to hear their screaming.

He opened the crate closest to the cockpit for Zainabu. "Alright, Zee. Get in and stay prone."

She rested her head on his shoulder. "I'll be fine, Danny. But I do appreciate your concern."

"Don't mention it." He waited for her to lay down and then locked the crate down. Once they were all secured, he walked back into the cockpit. He made his way to his seat to sit down. The guy was still finding it crazy that he was even going along with this, but he had little to lose right now. He just hoped it wouldn't cost the lives of his friends. He gripped the controls loosely. _Alright, let's see if you still got it, Danny._

He gently pulled back on the stick and the ship rose into the sky. He felt the G-forces pressing him back in his seat. The one thing he liked about it was the rush of adrenaline that came with it. It was like eating a bag of sugar all at once, and it was why he loved flying. On the computer screen, the readout indicated his altitude relative to the ground and he was rising fast. He was already one mile above the ground; his goal was to reach five miles before doing an active radar ping.

He watched various bird formations pass over him, and then behind and under him as he kept rising higher and higher. He didn't want to imagine what his passengers were going through. Except for Zainabu, the others had minimal or no experience flying, and only Danny had ever flown this high before. If anything, someone probably vomited already. He was sure someone would---he did, when he first did high-altitude flights with Captain Walker during his training.

Captain Walker told him to drink milk and eat steak for lunch the first day of the high-altitude training. He said it would keep him from feeling hungry and weak at the end of the flight. But in reality, Walker was just telling Danny that so he would throw up during flight and the captain would die laughing. Danny wasn't happy about that, at the time. But afterwards, he found it funny as well.

He passed two miles and began passing through the lower portions of the clouds. It always amazed him to see what it was like to go through clouds. It gave him a rush of excitement to be high in the sky and fly through the clouds. The sight of the clouds was like snowboarding. You could carve up shapes of clouds if you were good enough, much like carving up a mountain on a snowboard. It was too bad there weren't any places to do that in Africa, at least where Danny was at.

When the computer indicated he was at 4.5 miles high, Danny started to level out. The sight of the clouds below him was absolutely beautiful. The celestial view was just stunning. _Like being an angel._ Danny sighed. "If only I could enjoy this sight a little longer."

He slowed down, almost to a halt, suspending him in air. "Here we go." He cleared his throat. "Computer, give me an active radar ping now."

* * *

Gyro sat at the chair. Even though he was stationed in the radar tower, his terminal was located in the pit in the central portion of the control center. That kept him from enjoying the view of the lands outside the stronghold. Ever since he first landed here under Dasyu's command, his computer skills and exceptionally analytical mind kept him as a radar operator. He was a signal junkie, as his buddies called. They would always crack jokes on him and the other signal workers in the tower, and kept hearing one phrase mentioned to him over and over.

"Signal: we can talk about you, but we can't talk without you."

That was really Gyro's only defense against the ridiculing, but that was it. Usually, he was on the butt end of a joke nine times out of ten and it didn't seem to have an end in sight. But he wasn't the one being a bullet magnet, so that suited him just fine also.

If it was anything he wished he would know, was how things got started for him. He didn't know where he was created. The only thing he could remember was him being woken up from his stasis chamber by Dasyu, telling Gyro that he was in charge and was leading the force. Gryo had simply understood and obeyed. They were in a huge ship that entered a portal of some kind and landed on this planet. Dasyu only told them their mission was to spread out and use the planet's natural resources to build a worldwide base of operations. Other than that, he knew nothing else.

Being bored and with nothing to do, he just stared at the monitor in front of him. As usual, there was nothing out of the ordinary so he just went back to relaxing in his chair. Just before he began to drift off, he heard a high-pitched whine through his headphones. The operator's eyes snapped open. Even though he hadn't heard it very much while being here, he immediately knew what it was.

_It can't be. _He sat up and looked at his computer. A large wave covered his radar, before a loud pinging noise echoed through his headset. The wave bounced back and indicated an unknown heat signature on his radar. He stood up and looked for his supervisor. He found him talking to the tiger/transformer Striker, Dasyu's second-in-command. "Sir, we've just been pinged!"

Both the supervisor and Striker walked over to Gyro. The supervisor spoke first. "Pinged? Where did it come from?"

"It's northeast of us, sir. Coming from Sector 12, coordinates 113892 by 204486," Gyro responded.

Striker observed the location of the ping's source. It was about two and a half hours away and the altitude indicated the source was about five miles in the sky. Adrenaline rushed through him. He had been waiting so long for a good fight like this. It had been much too long since he had a challenge, and he only hoped the human Danny would not disappoint him. He smirked and walked away.

He looked out the window and looked in the direction of the ping. The setting sun set a reddish glow out over the land, giving it an eerie look. It didn't bother him. He used the eerie sides of nature to his advantage, which only added to his ice-cold reputation. He keyed his com-link. "Striker to Dasyu. We have a confirmed radar ping. It seems that our prodigal son is returning to us."

"How far away?"

"He's about two and a half hours away. Shall I move the troops out to set up for the human?"

"Affirmative. The rescuing heroes are gonna need a welcoming committee, after all. Move them into position, Striker."

Striker gave him confirmation. "Check. I'm on it, sir." He closed the channel to Dasyu and switched frequencies. "Striker to Boronas. I would suggest you prep your ship immediately." He smiled. "We're about to have company."

* * *

Danny locked in on the position. The only ping that echoed off the radar wave was to the southwest and a good distance away from his current position. He also knew that he had now given away his position, he had to act fast. The only thing he was afraid of was crashing and becoming a permanent part of the landscape. The canyon he was diving for had enough dangers of its own, he didn't need to be adding to it.

"Okay, ping's out. Time to dive." He turned on the intercom. "Hang on, guys. It's gonna be an interesting ride." Probably not the most inspiring choice of words, but he had no time to reflect on that now.

Danny slowly increased power to the engines and pushed the stick forward. He felt his stomach rise as he began to dive down. As the dive steepened, he felt his butt leaving the chair for a few seconds before the safety straps held him in place. Danny gripped the stick so hard that his knuckles turned white. The steering began feeling heavy, but that was due to all the G-forces stressing the ship.

He watched as the clouds began to come closer and closer, the view was getting cloudier and harder to see. It would not be long before he was in the clouds. Once in there, he could activate the Iron Curtain system. If everything worked, he would disappear off of their radars and wouldn't turn up until he got closer to the stronghold.

"Okay, I hope to God this works. Computer, activate Iron Curtain on my mark." Danny waited until he entered the clouds. The white vapor enveloped his entire ship. "Mark."

Inside, everything looked normal. But outside, the ship was invisible to sensors and the naked eye. Just one more thing to toss up to the guys with the brains and the white coats. Danny continued diving through the clouds until he could see the ground again. Before his body was off the seat. Now, he couldn't get off no matter how hard he tried, even if the straps were unbuckled. He was going so fast that the G-forces were pressing him down into the seat.

Danny gritted his teeth. He could feel the corners of his vision going black. He realized he was beginning to black out. He remembered the day Captain Walker was training him on this effect.

**** _Flashback_

Captain Walker looked straight at Danny. The latter was watching a video of a pilot in a jet doing a dead vertical dive in the sky. The camera was the in-cockpit screen, which looked directly at the pilot. Even with the polarized visor covering the pilot's face, the pilot's eyes could be seen drooping and fluttering around, trying to stay open. Unfortunately, the pilot's eyes closed as the pilot blacked out. A few minutes later, the camera went black.

The video was of a pilot who performed this maneuver in live-flight training. It was one of many videos regarding blackouts. Sadly, they all ended the same.

Walker came around the podium he was standing behind. Danny faced him intently, ready to digest whatever knowledge the captain was about to offer. "One of the worst nightmares for a pilot, is a blackout. The most common of black out for a pilot is a vertical axis blackout, or V-AX."

He began explaining all of what happens when you dive at dead vertical. "When G-forces get powerful enough, the centrifugal forces rushes all your blood from your brains to your feet."

Danny frowned and raised his hand. "What will be the symptoms?"

Walker began tapping off fingers. "Fifteen seconds, you get tunnel vision. The corners of your vision will become blurred, leaving whatever is in the forefront of your vision clear. Ten seconds later, you officially black out."

"After that?" Danny asked.

The captain looked at him blankly. "You die."

That seemed to answer his question.

* * *

That was one thing Danny was not going to be doing. He would not black out and kill everyone with him. But he was starting to see nothing but what was directly ahead of him. He needed to move soon. Otherwise, he _would_ black out. Danny calmly pulled back on the stick, fighting the sluggishness.

Slowly, but surely, he began leveling out. The corners of his vision began to clear up as he past the top of the canyon walls. He was about five hundred feet from the ground. Alarms were blaring about his closeness to the ground, but he ignored them. He needed to focus.

He was three hundred feet to the ground. Two hundred feet to the ground. One hundred feet. Fifty.

Danny leveled out completely, and not a foot to soon. He was just about touching the river below him. Danny smiled. "Should've brought my water-skis."

He skimmed the water a little bit before he could see his destination. A huge overhang on the right side of the canyon. It was a place he had used during one of his flights while searching for his family. He slowed down and aimed the ship to settle down right in underneath the overhang. Not being careful, he scraped the top of his ship against the ceiling, nearly causing him to let go of the flight stick and covering his ears.

Danny brought the ship down on the ground and began powering down. Everything except for the radar. He centered around the location of Dasyu's stronghold. He waited for any energy signature to emerge. Nothing came out. Danny clenched his hands in hopes that they couldn't find him on radar. If they sent anyone, and they had thermal scanners, they would still pick up the heat of the ship from the flight not to mention the body heat from him and the others.

Danny kept his eyes locked on the radar. If he even saw one cluster of energy signatures leaving the main stronghold, he would be staying in the cockpit. _Come on, come on. Please don't send anybody._

Five minutes passed and nothing emerged. He sighed and felt an ultimate moment of relief. They were safe for tonight. Danny unbuckled the straps and got up. "Let's see how the crew's doing."

He walked back and opened the cockpit hatch. Danny walked into the maintenance bay and unlocked each of the crates. Danny watched the felines get out of their crates very slowly. They were all groggy, some were pale. All of them were pissed off. They were all staring daggers at Danny. He resisted the urge to step back.

Danny smelled a disgusting aroma coming near Haraka's crate. He had a pretty good idea of what it was, but ventured over there anyway. Looking in, he could see that Haraka vomited during the dive. Danny slammed the crate shut to seal the smell. With a smile, he turned around to face the group. "Another happy landing."

* * *

If there was a part of her body that hurt, Sarabi couldn't name them all. Whether she moved and remained still, she felt pain. It had to have been whatever gas that was used on her when these creatures abducted her and her hunting party. Reluctantly, she opened her eyes to gain a bearing on her surroundings.

The other lionesses lay all around her. They were all breathing, but they were out cold. She was the only one awake, but she wished she was only having a nightmare. She walked over and nuzzled them. "Come on, wake up." She tried, but to no avail. Exhausted, she looked around.

She was in an enclosed room, with the metal material similar to Danny's ship forming into walls on three sides, as well as the ceiling and the floor. The only non-metal side was right in front of her. But bright beams stretched from the left wall to the right. She didn't know what they were, but her curiosity got the best of her. She groggily got up and moved forward. She stuck a paw out and contacted the beams.

Her foreleg was immediately injected with pain as the beam shot off a spark that stung her. She recoiled and growled. She wasn't going to be getting out of here. She looked around to take another look at the other lionesses. They were all unconscious and didn't look like any were going to be waking up anytime soon.

"It seems Danny has failed to come to the rescue once again."

Sarabi turned to see the source of the voice. Coming out of the shadows was another human, like Danny. He had light brown hair as well, but his dark eyes and close crop hair style were not Danny's. It was almost like looking at a demon in a man's skin. She couldn't help but shiver. "It seems Danny isn't the only human who can understand us."

The man quickly morphed into a lion. Sarabi nearly jumped out of her fur. "Oh, I think there's more than meets the eye with me, lady." He morphed back into his human form. "But yes, I do understand you."

"Who are you? Why did you take us from our home? We never did anything to you."

"Oh, how rude of me. My name is Dasyu. Welcome to my humble home. It's true, you did nothing to me. But it's someone else that gave me the reason to take you."

"Danny," Sarabi answered.

The man smiled. "Boy, you do catch on quick. He destroyed my home that I worked so hard to build, that I spent years to construct. Now, it's nothing but a pile of rocks."

"I'd say you got what you deserved. For trying to destroy this planet."

"Well that's where you come in," Dasyu replied. "You are merely bait to lead Danny here. It's mainly his ship I want, but I have a score to settle with him. Once I have what I want, I'll let you go. Simple as that."

The thought of Danny being killed shook the lioness to the core. "And if he doesn't come to get us?"

Dasyu smirked. "Oh, I doubt that very seriously. We picked up his ship a good distance away from here, but he's coming this way. Now, for some reason, he has disappeared off our scopes, and we can't find him."

Sarabi still didn't know what he was getting at. "And what if he decides to leave us here? He may decide to protect the pride or get some help."

"Well, then you're situation is hopeless, unless you tell me the locations he has been to in the past with his ship."

The lioness chuckled. "You know one of the first things I learned from Danny?" Dasyu shrugged in response. "Never give in at all."

Dasyu shrugged again. "We may not be able to change your mind…" He waved his hand over to the shadows.

Soon footsteps could be heard. They grew louder and louder, and soon, three figures appeared in front of her. Sarabi looked terrified as recognition dawned on her face. She knew them from years ago.

At one time, they were just a nuisance in the kingdom during Mufasa's rule and especially in Scar's. The last Sarabi saw them, they were running away from the Pride Lands and never coming back. Now, here they were. They still maintained their normal forms, but they had definitely been molded into robots like the ones Danny had described to her. That was only confirmed when they transformed.

The bodies went from beasts to robotic, humanoid forms. But the heads couldn't be mistaken. They remained unchanged, except for the eerie green eye color. But the fact that they were mutilated into half robots half animals was disgusting and shocking.

It was the hyena trio, consisting of Shenzei, Bonzai, and Ed.

Bonzai jumped in front of them, clenching a fist and speaking in his Spanish accent, but with a mechanized tone. "But we can change everything else."

**Another surprise reappearance, what will happen next?**


	16. Division and Distrust

**Sorry I took so long to get this chapter, people. I've been busy with work, Brazilian Ju-Jitsu, among other things. I'm going to try to get one, hopefully two more chapters before I head off to camp. At that point, you'll be lucky to even get ONE chapter. I believe I mentioned this in the previous chapter, I plan on splitting the chapters between life in the Pride Lands and Danny's rescue mission, so bear with me.**

**Also, I'm beginning to understand why authors here get absolutely get frustrated on anonymous reviews. It's so hard to respond to them when they have questions. But I digress…**

**Enjoy the chapter!  
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Simba ran across the fields. Everything seemed a blur. All of the animals, trees, rocks, bodies of water, seemed to be a surreal blend of colors in some sort of crazy portrait. It almost gave him a sort of sickness that held him down, but he kept pressing forward to what caught his attention to begin with. Sadly, it was something he had been dealing with for a long time, with no end in sight and no solution around for him.

He heard shouting, the voice of someone calling for help. That voice was familiar, and that voice was calling his name. "Simba! Simba!"

Simba's eyes were wide, full of alarm. _Why is this happening again?_ This was happening over and over and he couldn't seem to stop it. The one good thing to this problem was that it gave him time to think about how to work around the situation.

The co-king of the Pride Lands ran to his father's cry. But he already knew where he was going to. He was heading to the gorge, sight of the events that permanently effected the entire pride and the lands themselves. Simba reached the edge of the gorge and looked down to find his father.

Mufasa was straight down from his position. His claws were dug in against the wall, maintaining a death grip on the rock walls. He was slowly sliding to his death. "Simba! Simba! Help me!" Below him was the stampeding herd of wildebeests.

Simba shook his head in disbelief. "Father! Hold on!" He jumped down a level of rocks and came closer to his father. He prayed to God that this wouldn't end the same. He jumped onto the side of a pillar, gripping it with his claws. Looking around, he pushed off to the nearest level down and landed firmly on his feet. "I'm almost there, dad. Just hang on a little longer!"

He was about two levels away when he heard a loud and arrogant laugh. Simba cringed. He knew whose laugh that belonged to: his evil uncle Scar. Simba turned around to see where he was at. Scar was exactly where Simba was at moments ago. He seemed to be dulled in a shadow, with only his piercing green eyes providing illumination of his silhouette.

Scar descended along the walls with ease, as though his paws had some sticky substance that kept him from falling. "You can't escape it, Simba."

Simba shook off the words and frantically and moved to the last tier and stretched his paw out to Mufasa. "Come on, dad."

Mufasa reluctantly let go of his right paw and extended it out to his son. However, their paws were still about a foot away from each other. Simba, knowing he was in a more flexible position, slid his body to the side of the wall and reached out even further. "Just…a little…farther." Tears were welling up in his eyes. He did not want this to end the same again. "Please, Lord. Don't let it happen."

Just as his paw brushed Mufasa's, Simba felt himself being jerked back by Scar. "Gotcha." He was stuck in Scar's iron grip and now couldn't reach his father. Simba turned to face his uncle grinning and leaning in close. "Trust me, Simba. Just like you always have."

Those words left a pang on Simba's heart, but it was nothing compared to what he saw next. He looked down to see his father slide off the edge and to his death. "Simbaaaaa…" His voice soon faded from earshot.

"NNOO!" Simba shouted. Rage was pouring through him now. Not just from failure, but at who prevented him from reaching Mufasa. He turned to glare at his uncle. "Scar."

The shadow of Scar laughed maniacally. Within moments, however, things took a dramatic change. Scar finally came into illumination, but with the change of illumination came the change of voice, and lion. It wasn't Scar anymore holding onto Simba, but someone else. The lion had Scar's dark fur, black mane, and green eyes. But the youthful face and muscular build were not Scar's.

Simba's eyes widened in shock and confusion. "Kovu?" He had little time to comprehend the whole situation, as Kovu then proceeded to shove him off along with Mufasa.

His prayers were answered. The dream did end differently. It was just not the way he wanted it. In the end, the real culprit was Kovu. Now, Simba was falling to his death, screaming all the way…

* * *

Simba woke up with a start. His breathing was fast and deep. He tried to cool down as best as he could, but even the cool night had little effect on him. He looked down at Nala. His mate was sleeping soundly, something he envied of her. Peering around, Kiara and the rest of the pride was having no difficulties sleeping.

He shook his head. _I really wish this would stop. I'm getting sick and tired of having this hit me on random nights._ After a few minutes, he regained his normal breathing and thought things over.

That dream had bothered him for years, but it was only now that things were beginning to unravel. First, it was Scar tossing him off into the gorge, leading him to believe that it was just a nightmare that would never leave. Now, it was Kovu throwing Simba to his death. This left Simba wondering if it was things to come. Would Kovu actually try to kill him and take over? Simba still didn't trust Kovu entirely, but he hadn't done anything suspicious thus far.

Danny had talked about how the nightmares would never sleep. The scarring memories of certain events in life would leave marks that could never be erased, it could only be suppressed. These nightmares probably would last for the rest of his life, but maybe it was someone trying to tell him that something that needed to be done. Simba could only wonder what that could possibly be.

Even though he was afraid to do so, he forced himself back to sleep. He could only hope to think things over in the morning.

* * *

The rescue party had set up camp quite comfortably. Danny set up a campfire while the others went out hunting. About an hour later, they brought back a few dik-diks, a small antelope that lived in Africa. All of them ate well, but Danny ate an MRE instead. He knew they would need all they could eat, so he opted to not take away from their food. He could eat either the antelope or the MRE, but the MRE gave the others more food to divvy up. Danny went to check if anything came up on the radar, but it was as peaceful as a church.

The others went to sleep except for Danny, Zainabu, Tojo, and Chumvi. They were all in private conversations with each other respectively.

Chumvi and Tojo were in deep conversation. Through Tojo's marriage with Kula, he and Chumvi were brother-in-laws. But even if things were different, they still considered each other brothers along with Mheetu. But they shared a closer friendship; they grew up together their whole lives. They were together in Jabari's kingdom during most of their childhood, and moved back to their home when they fought to take it back from Scar. Of course, their friendship was at the point of cracking jokes at each other without intending offense.

Tojo took his claws and began scribbling in the ground. "You remember when we knocked Kula into the mud when we were cubs?"

Chumvi smirked. "That was one of the most priceless moments ever. How can I _not_ remember it? She wasn't too happy when we did that."

"You're telling me. She was itching to tear us apart. But she just took it out on you and not me."

"That's because you were someone she had a crush on and I was her brother. It was easy for her to decide who to take her frustrations out on. That, and the fact that those birds would protect you from anything and everything," Chumvi responded, slightly annoyed.

Tojo laughed. "Well, when you got a good-looking lion around, you need to have protection. I couldn't have my face scarred and marred, buddy."

"Yeah, I forgot. You need protection because your fighting skills are nothing to write home about, pretty boy," Chumvi shot back.

Tojo was taken aback by the riposte. "We can go back and forth on this all night long. But you just wish you were as good looking as I am."

Chumvi shook his head. "I sometimes wonder how you maintain your balance with that big head of yours." He decided to change the subject. "Anyways, I wonder how we plan to rescue the lionesses from…what was his name? Dasyu?"

"Yeah, Dasyu. I'm not exactly sure how. If they have weapons like Danny does, we have our work cut out for us. It's not a battle we can win with absolute muscle. It's about outthinking our opponents. I mean, sure it matters who's got the biggest stick. But it really matters who can dodge it when it comes swinging at you."

Chumvi agreed. "Yeah, that's true. But we're going up against them with claws, teeth, and small numbers. They're coming at us with ships like Danny's and weapons too. If we can't outthink them, then we're fighting a losing battle here."

He had a point to that, and Tojo knew it. Still, he wasn't about to back down. Part of that was from being head sentinel, but the majority for his decision was because of his mate. "Well, I don't care what they send at us. I'm not going to just lay down and let them take Kula away from me. I've already had my son and daughter taken away, and I'm not about to lose anymore family."

Chumvi frowned. "But Kovu is-"

"Yes, I know that," Tojo cut him off abruptly. "But he doesn't see me as his father. It will take a long time before he recognizes otherwise…_if _he even does."

Chumvi didn't press the matter further. Tojo may be the cockiest lion he ever knew, but he did have feelings and especially put his family above himself. That far overruled any negative traits Tojo had. "I hope he does. And I do agree with you about Kula. She's my sister and my Aziza is with her too. There is no way I'm going to abandon her either." He aimed a paw at his brother-in-law. "I'm also not going to leave you hanging out to dry, bro. I'll watch your back as long as you watch mine."

"Deal," Tojo slapped paws with Chumvi. He yawned and stretched his legs out. "Well, we better turn in for the night. We got a big day ahead of us."

Chumvi rested his head on his paws. "Yes…a big day, indeed."

Meanwhile, Danny and Zainabu were sitting down, watching the stars as best as they could see. They were still underneath part of the overhang, so their view of the sky was somewhat impeded. Danny was pointing out the constellations in the skies, with Zainabu watching intently. She couldn't see what he saw, but she tried her best. He explained that you had to connect the stars with imaginary lines to actually "see" the shapes of the constellations.

Zainabu was laying down, but her head was up and looking to the sky, half-paying attention to Danny's hand pointing from star to star. Danny was leaning up against an upright rock, giving him a rock equivalent of a chair. "So you see, Zee, humans used to use the stars to navigate the world. It kept them from getting lost when they went exploring new lands. Without them, I don't think anyone would know where they would be going back in the day."

Zainabu was mesmerized by all of this new information. "Wow, that is truly amazing. Is that how you navigate your ship?"

"In a manner of speaking. Because we have radar and other advanced electronics, we don't really need to look to the stars to navigate. But my father, being the drill sergeant type that he was, always taught me never to fully rely on technology. Reason being is that if technology fails, what do you do?"

"You need to have a backup plan," Zainabu answered."Bingo! We have a winner," Danny exclaimed. "My dad taught me to navigate with the stars in case I would ever fly a ship and the technology failed. I'm kinda glad he did."

"You know, I think this is the first time I've heard you sounding hopeful about your dad." Zainabu nudged her head against his head.

He gently stroked her head. "It's because of my nightmares that have plagued me for a long time. I think it was the events of the future. It all seems to make sense now. Sarabi and the others' abduction, Dasyu still being alive, and what would happen if I did nothing. It gives me renewed hope that my family is still alive now. But again, if nothing is done, they will end up the same as everyone else. As far as I know, and this is based on my dreams, they've been in captivity for seven years."

"Well, no matter what happens, I'm glad that I am with you. I felt like my world left with you, and now it's back." Zainabu looked up at him. Her green eyes glowed in the night. "Do you think you'll stay in the Pride Lands a little longer?"

"We don't even know if we'll come out of this alive," Danny responded. But in truth, he wasn't sure how to answer that question. With Dasyu alive, he might have to stay to fight him off. On the other hand, he might have to go and get help. Dasyu was sure to have a lot of drones and personnel backing him up. Plus, he didn't want to get Zainabu's hopes up. "We'll see."

"Do you think we have a chance against Dasyu?"

"No, the odds are not good." Danny shook his head. "But then again, 'not good' is the best odds we've ever had."

Zainabu licked his hand. "Well, as long as I'm tagging along, I could care less for odds."

Something was different about her tone of voice. It was less playful, less sarcastic, and less flirtatious than in the past. Danny noticed this, and arched an eyebrow. "Is there something you want to tell me, Zee?"

She fought to keep from turning red. She stood up and stretched her legs out. "It's getting late. I'm going to turn in for the night."

Danny looked like he had been punched in the gut. "Come on, that's not fair!"

Her eyes sparkled with mischief. "Consider it payback for leaving." Her voice was not venomous with that remark, but rather playful and smooth. She was just being very subtle with her humor.

Danny shook his head and pointed at her. "You…I'm gonna get the answer from you sooner or later."

Zainabu winked. "Don't worry, I'll tell you another time. Right now, I think we need some sleep or our thought processing will creep along like a weather front."

Danny lay down and rested his head against her side. "Good night, Zee."

She smiled before closing her eyes. "Good night, Danny."

* * *

Sarabi felt anything but strong. She was captured, cut off from her pride, and the only lioness in her cell who was conscious. The others had yet to wake up from the gas that knocked them out in the first place. Sarabi was becoming more concerned for them, as she was afraid they were in need of medical attention. Problem was, no one would hold a candle to their situation. There was nothing she could do but try to get some sleep, but she couldn't. There was too much on her mind and nothing to do to pass the time.

One thing on her mind was the hyena trio. Not only were Shenzei, Bonzai, and Ed still alive, but were turned into monsters like the ones who had taken her away from the Pride Lands. What exactly Dasyu was planning to do was beyond her, but it involved Danny and there was nothing she could do about it.

For the first time in years, she felt weak, helpless, and alone. It numbed her to the bone, sending a shiver through her body.

She paced back and forth until she heard footsteps. They were coming from down the corridor and approaching her cell. Fear wracked her as she moved ever so slowly to the cell's opening. She tried to look down the huge hall as best as she could, but the laser wall kept her from looking out any further.

What she saw next filled her with absolute hope and joy. Coming down the corridor was her two sons Simba and Danny, and her daughter-in-law Nala. They all wore determined expressions and came up to her cell. Simba and Nala were watchful and alert, while Danny was carrying his M4 rifle in his hands with a pistol at his side. He was definitely ready for action.

Of course, Danny's witty sense of humor also came with it. "Well, look who's here. Need a lift, lady?" His smile was as infectious as ever.

Sarabi grinned. She couldn't describe the happiness she felt. "You made it."

Simba shook his head. "It wasn't easy, Mom."

"We've got quite a story to tell," Nala added in. "But that's for later. Right now, we've got to get you out of here."

Sarabi nodded. To see her children here to rescue her and the lionesses erased all the pain and anguish she had been dealing with for the last couple of hours. "I was hoping you would find us. I wasn't sure if you would find us, though. The last couple hours have been unbearable."

Danny shrugged. "Hasn't exactly been a trip to Disneyland for us, either."

"At least you are finally here," Sarabi said, beaming.

Danny aimed his weapon at the cell controls while Simba and Nala crouch down to be ready to carry some of the lionesses. But as they did, the last thing Sarabi wanted to see happened. All three of them stopped moving. They just stood and stared at Sarabi, as if they were statues.

Sarabi's smile faded into a weak one. "What are you waiting for? Fire." They all stared at her, impassive. The tears began to well up in her eyes as she realized this was not real at all. She was hallucinating. She refused to believe that. "You're hear to rescue us, aren't you?" They continued to look at her, but didn't move nor answer her. The silence was beginning to break her down and tears began to stream down her cheeks. "I need you here to rescue me."

Suddenly, Simba and Nala disappeared into thin air. They didn't exist before her at all. It was a hallucination, a vision of some sort. Now, she understood how it felt for Danny and his dreams. The pain was horrible, and with no cure for it. She walked over to the back of the room and fell down, crying softly. The loneliness, false hope, and pain was too much for her to bear. She felt as though her sanity was leaving her to deal with the pain alone.

Danny walked through the laser wall and approached her. She saw and refused to look him in the eye. "Get away from me. Get away."

He sat down next to her and set his M4 on the ground. He leaned his back against the wall and just stared back towards the corridor. His expression was unreadable, almost as though he were a robot himself.

Sarabi finally managed to look up at him. "I wish you were really here." She rested her head in his lap. "I need you so badly." Her reliance on him was the vital reason why she still carried herself strongly around the pride. Now, it was a different story.

Danny kept staring at the cell's exit. "The chances that we find you and that we survive were 10 million to one. You knew that the moment Dasyu took you from the Pride Lands." He looked down at her. "You're just refusing to accept it, and now you must."

The lioness sobbed. "All this time since Scar killed Mufasa, I drew my strength from you. You always remained strong when we needed it, and I needed it desperately. Whenever things got bad, I had you to rely on, you to depend on." She looked around. "Now, I feel myself alone again and without you to help me."

She lifted her head up, unable to feel motivated and hopeful. It was a sad feeling, and she wished Danny really was here, and not some hallucination of him. "I feel so deeply alone…and afraid."

Danny shook his head. "You're not alone." He turned again to look down at her. He placed a hand on her head and rubbed it gently. "You have Aziza…and Shani…"

Sarabi shook her head. "They're like children. How can I be responsible for them? And for Kiara? And for Kopa? And for myself?" She sighed, trying to regain some form of composure. "Not without you."

"But it must be without us now." He kissed her nose before getting up and leaving the cell.

She reached her paw out for him, not wanting him to leave. But he did, and almost mechanically did a left face and walked out of her sight. The anguish Sarabi was trying to fight had finally become too much to bear. Danny was right. She had to be responsible for the others, but without Danny this time. _Mufasa, if only you were here with me._

Sarabi again heard footsteps and looked up to see a robot carrying a huge tray of meat and a bowl of water. It was a hybrid of some orange cat with black stripes, and spoke with a British accent. "Rough night, hmm?" His arms passed through the laser wall and set the food and water down. "At least Dasyu is nice enough to offer hospitality. After all, he doesn't want his bait to starve to death or die of thirst. I personally think you should die and not be spared any breakfast at all."

He walked off and left her there, broken and alone. Sarabi decided to eat something. If she was going to pass the time, then she might as well eat and drink. She could only hope Danny would be coming soon to rescue her.

* * *

Simba slowly woke up in the morning. After the nightmare, he had finally gotten some sleep. But it was still on his mind right from the start of the morning. To add insult to injury, a headache began pounding in his head. The first morning without most of the people he knew was vastly different, but he would manage. As king, he had to. If he showed any signs of breaking down under pressure, then he would begin to lose the respect and trust of the people. It wasn't as though he were watching over two kingdoms, but it would definitely be more work and less time with his family.

Nala woke up and was going to join him on rounds in the morning. With no majordomos, no sentinels, and no Danny, he would have a lot to take care of for a while. Nala, realizing he would need help, offered to help him out with the rounds. She left Xolani and Dembe, two of the few remaining senior lionesses, to lead the hunting party in her absence. It was not her preference to do this, but her duties as queen to assist the king came before leading the hunting party.

But before anything was started, Simba told Nala that he needed a walk alone to the waterhole. With his headache, he wouldn't be in a talking mood to anyone. Plus, the water was the best thing he could have to at least suppress his headache.

He walked down the slope of Pride Rock to the waterhole. There were a lot of things on his mind. His mother and her hunting party taken away by some psychotic. Danny and the sentinels going out to rescue them. Zira and the Outsiders doing who knows what. More immediately, Kovu being part of the pride. The lion hadn't done anything wrong or suspicious, but Kovu had a long way to go to earn his trust. He may have been Tojo's son, but he was raised by Zira. That alone was a bad mark to have on a reputation.

Simba knew he would have to move aside the issues regarding his mother and Danny. He couldn't do anything about it in the first place, so he would need to focus on the issues he could control. It wouldn't be easy, but it would have to be done.

As he reached the waterhole, he dipped his head down and began to drink. Already, the cold water was beginning to soothe the pain away. Simba felt more refreshed with each sip of water. "Boy, I really needed that. My mouth feels like a desert."

He thought about the situation with Kovu. The young lion seemed suspicious to him. He had not forgotten what Zira said three years ago, when Kiara and Kovu first met. If Zira did train and brainwash him to follow in Scar's paw prints, then he had to be on his guard. But Kiara had definitely taken a liking to Kovu, and that complicated things. He was already in hot water with his daughter from breaking his promise on her first hunt, and he needed to try to gain back her trust and favor. Trusting Kovu could take him a long way in reconciling with his daughter, but it could leave him vulnerable to an ambush.

Finishing with his drink, he decided to break out in a run to catch up with Nala. She was waiting for him back at the bottom of Pride Rock, and they had a lot of work to do. As a male lion, his mane tended to cause him to overheat from the sun during extended runs. Thankfully, it was still early in the morning, and the heat had yet to peak. He approached the base of Pride Rock, where he could already see Nala waiting for him.

He stopped in front of her. "You…ready…for the rounds?" He was out of breath from his running to and from the waterhole.

Nala nodded. "Yes, Simba. Let's go."

"Where's Kiara?"

The queen flashed a smile. "She and Kovu went out today in the fields. I suspect they'll be gone for the entire day."

Simba grimaced. He was afraid Kovu would try to harm her. Still, he had to trust Kiara to handle herself. "Well, okay then. Let's move it."

* * *

Kovu was not enjoying the morning. He may have been left a little divided on his allegiances, but his mission remained clear while he was here. He had to kill Simba and Danny. Danny was gone and would probably be killed on his rescue mission, leaving him just Simba as the only male to challenge him. The sentinels had left with Danny, so his job should've been easier. All he had to do was catch Simba off-guard and alone.

It wasn't long before he received his opportunity early in the morning. He had heard Simba walking down the slope to head for the waterhole. The timing couldn't have been better. No one suspected much of him since he had been there, Simba was going out alone, and no one could've heard him sneaking away to follow Simba.

Kovu had set himself up, readying himself for a fight. The pieces fell together perfectly, and everything had gone according to plan. There was just one problem: Kiara. She had followed him to the rock, not knowing what he was doing. She went around the rock and jumped out in front of Kovu, catching _him _off-guard. He had forgotten that he promised to show her how to refine her hunting skills. The distraction caused him to miss a perfect opportunity, as Simba left while Kiara pranced around him.

But if it was anything he was taught well, it was being patient. Truth be told, he hated missing golden opportunities, but there would be other times.

Now, he was out in the field with Kiara. He had set her through some lessons with breath control and put her to the test. The first two times, he could easily hear her and simply walked up to where she was trying to move up to him and told her to try again. It was the third time and now, he was sitting out in the open. Again, he could hear her stepping on branches, breathing too hard _again_, and basically doing a horrible job trying to remain quiet.

For the third time, he evaded her ambush. She jumped over him and rolled on her back. He had finally explained what she was doing wrong: that she was breathing too hard and not relaxing. Kovu then demonstrated his own skills on a flock of birds. But his was somewhat foiled when he ended up ambushing none other than Timon and Pumbaa. They had been out trying to get some worms, but the birds that landed had begun to take the majority of the food.

With the assistance of Kovu and Kiara's help, they scattered the birds and decided to chase after them. Kovu was a little unsure of this, at first. All he ever knew was training; there was no fun. Kiara seemed so happy and fun-loving that it seemed to slowly rub off on Kovu. Eventually he was having such a blast that a group of rather angry rhinos didn't effect him. He just ran and hid in a small rock cave with Kiara, Timon and Pumbaa, all the while having a good time.

Then the unexpected happened. As they tried to get out, Kovu felt something warm and tingling on his lips. He realized it was Kiara. They were squeezed together so tight that their lips came into contact with each other. They suddenly drew back, laughing nervously and smiling weakly. They didn't know exactly what to say to each other, and just walked along with Timon and Pumbaa.

Kovu's mission seemed more and more hazy. He was starting to wonder if taking Simba down was even worth it. From what Zira said, Simba was a cold-blooded murderer whole stole the throne from Scar. Danny had undermined Scar's reign and, at one point, attempted to assassinate Scar. Kovu was instructed to kill both of them. Danny was off on a rescue mission and Simba was the only male left in the pride. He didn't seem as cold-blooded as Zira described, but he did seem to have trouble trusting Kovu. Kovu understood because he would do the same thing if he were in Simba's position.

With Kiara, that was a whole different story. She was happy to have him here, and he felt the same way. He was definitely interested in her, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to start anything right now. Kovu's own dark sides of his life kept him from going further along. He was afraid of what she might think if she found out the truth of why he was there, why the fire that threatened her life was a setup, and what was to happen afterwards. If he told her, she might not only never speak to him again, but also inform her father of Kovu's intentions.

As he walked with Kiara, he decided to say something. "So, what do you generally do for fun?"

She turned and smirked at him. "You mean besides running from rhinos?"

"Well, that's fun enough. But what else?"

She thought it over. There was so much that she did for fun, and since Kovu was all but devoid of entertainment, she decided to stay with basics. "I know something we can do. Follow me."

* * *

They ran back to Pride Rock. It was good exercise, but Kovu was starting to feel tired. It was not surprising, since he was a male and the lion and his mane was more of a hindrance to him when it came to running. As they ran, the other animals bowed with respect to the princess, but had more skeptical looks to Kovu. It was no surprise to him since he knew everything was stacked against him. He would have to go a long way to prove himself.

They finally reached Pride Rock. Kiara walked over to an object at the base of the pride's home. It was the pole and tetherball. Danny had set it up while her father was still a cub. All of the cubs from Simba's generation and onwards were able to play with it. It had stood for so many years, even during Scar's reign. It was a memento of what Danny provided to the cubs for the last seven years he had been here. She remembered playing with it for hours on end, and those memories were in her head like they happened yesterday.

Kovu frowned when he saw it. He had absolutely no idea what it was. "_This_ is what you do for fun?"

Kiara giggled. "Kovu, this is actually a lot more fun than it looks." She walked up to the pole and bumped the ball a few times with her paw. "The goal is to hit the ball as it comes around, but you've gotta hurry. It gets closer and closer to the pole with each miss, so you can't miss that much. Watch."

Kovu observed as Kiara hit the ball with her paw. The ball swung around and began to circle the pole. With each revolution, the rope attached to the ball became smaller and smaller. This brought the ball closer to the pole, making it harder to avoid hitting the pole with your paw. Kiara took a swing and hit the ball with relative ease. The ball spun around and gained distance from the pole as it went the opposite way. Kiara took another swing and looked at Kovu. "Give it a shot."

Kovu cautiously moved toward the swinging ball. As it came towards him, he took a swing at the ball with his huge paw. As big as it was, he missed the ball. Getting a little irritated, he took another swing as it passed. This time, it did connect with the ball. However, he used a little too much force into his hit. The ball quickly swung around and hit him in the back of his head, causing him to stagger for a moment.

Kiara laughed hysterically. Watching Kovu struggle with something as simple as this was cute and entertaining to her. "Of course, you've gotta watch out for the ball coming back."

Kovu rubbed the spot where the ball hit him. "No kidding. What was your first clue?" He decided to call it quits with the tetherball. It wasn't that it hurt him _that_ badly. It just wasn't his style of amusement. If he had this as a cub like Kiara, things would've been different. "Let's try something else. This isn't my thing."

"Sure," Kiara replied. "I agree I've outgrown this, but it was what I started out with aside from my mother's tail. Danny has been a great help to us."

Kovu nodded. "So it seems." He pointed to the plains that led next to the waterfall. "Before we go back to anymore of your fun, can we take a walk over there?"

Kiara pranced around. "Sure, I love going for walks. Let's go."

They began walking away, heading towards the river. The sun was now at full rise and beating down on them hard, so heading toward a water source was a good idea. They would be able to stop and get a drink before resuming their day. Of course, they would have to return to Pride Rock soon. Most of the lionesses were out hunting and would be back soon with some food. If they were to eat, they would have to take some time out of their day to return.

As they walked, Kovu looked at Kiara. She caught his gaze and frowned. It wasn't a sign of interest, but rather curiosity. "Danny…tell me about him."

Kiara blinked a few times. _Wasn't expecting that. _"Wow, where do I start?" This was going to take a lot of explaining. "Well, he first came here a long time ago, well before I was born. He was looking for his family and wound up landing his ship here. Since then, he's been a part of our pride. He always played with the cubs and played certain games, but after joining up with Daddy as co-kings, he invested a good deal of his time as king and searching for his family."

"What happened to his family?" Kovu asked.

The princess' ears dropped a bit. "He told us that they went on a journey here, to Africa. All he was told was that there was a massive explosion, and the report of his family's deaths. But he also says they told him that his family wasn't confirmed dead, only presumed."

Kovu started to get the picture. "So that's why he came here. To find the truth out for himself."

"Exactly, but so far he hasn't been successful. All he wants to do is to find his family and return to his home. I'm sure he's been happy living with us, but it's not enough for him. If he finds his family or confirms their deaths, he'll probably leave for good."

"So he's only back to rescue the pride from this…what was his name? Dasyu?" She nodded at his question. "That's a noble thing to do. He definitely doesn't sound at all like how Zira described him."

"How exactly did she describe him to you?" Kiara asked with a quizzical expression.

Kovu cracked his neck. "Zira always described him as a cold-blooded man who undermined Scar's reign. He would always put others in the way of danger with little regard for them, and even went so far as to attempt to kill Scar as well as herself."

Kiara was speechless. It sounded as though Kovu were brainwashed by Zira during his adolescent life. "That's everything Uncle Danny is not. He's been one of the most courageous, loving, and respecting people I know. He's a great leader who's had to work hard to earn the respect of others. Sad to say, Scar and Zira were not among them."

_I guess I had it wrong with him,_ Kovu thought. So far, it seemed that his life's training and mission was all a lie, just part of Zira's propaganda. With that taken away, he had nothing. Maybe starting fresh was something he needed. Just forfeiting his mission and living a fresh life with the Pride Landers would be a great thing and a change of events. Problem was, that would mean abandoning what little remained of his life. That was all he was raised on, and without it, he would have nothing. Plus, Vitani was waiting for him after nightfall for a report to give to Zira. If he didn't show up, they would get suspicious and possibly go to Plan B.

He wanted to explain the whole thing to Kiara, but he wasn't even sure what side he wanted to pick. He couldn't reveal anything until he was sure where he stood.

Kiara and Kovu reached the river. They bent down and took in some water. With the hot day, the water never felt better on their tongues. It was refreshing and renewed some of their energy. A few birds flew over their heads and they watched. A male and female flew together, with the male giving chase to the female. The female eventually let the male catch up and they flew in circles around each other, signifying their attraction for each other.

Kovu observed and it reminded him of the kiss he and Kiara shared. He turned to face her. It was half-surprising to him that she was staring at him too. They both blushed and turned away. That weird feeling returned to both of them, and they felt very awkward in each other's presence. Kovu was frantic. _What the heck is wrong with me? Why am I feeling this way with her?_

Kiara was trying to recollect herself. She felt so out of place. _What the heck is wrong with me? Why can't I just look him in the eyes without blushing?_

They both turned around to face each other, fighting the burning in their cheeks and trying to quell the redness. Green and brown locked gazes as their eyes seemed entranced in the other's. Kovu made the first move, closing in but still unsure of what he was doing. Kiara soon moved close to him. Their lips were inches apart…

A rustling from behind them caused the two to break eye contact. It was coming from the brush, but nothing was emerging from it. Neither Kovu nor Kiara could see who it was, or what animal for that matter. All Kovu new, was that his senses were on red alert. That was part of his training. If something was making noise by moving through brush and not making themselves known from a distance, that meant danger. That danger was close, and he wasn't about to let someone get an upper hand on him. He crouched low and braced himself.

He turned to look at Kiara. "Get behind me, Kiara."

The lioness reluctantly obeyed, but she wanted to be ready for anything. True, she wasn't as strong or experienced as Kovu was, but Kiara could still hold her own. She definitely could help in assisting Kovu. But as soon as she tried to move forward, whatever was causing the noise jumped out. Kovu launched from his position and headed for the enemy.

Whatever the outcome would be, it wasn't going to be pretty.

* * *

Simba was eating with his pride. He was halfway through his patrols when he had come across the hunting parties. They had ended up with a zebra and a wildebeest, so there was plenty for everyone. Xolani went out and called for Kopa and the other cubs to come from Pride Rock to follow her and return to the kill site. The others had their fill and now were standing guard for the others to eat, as well as letting their stomachs digest the food.

Normally, the pride would be chatting, laughing, and being a social bunch. However, since the events of the day before, things took a subtle swing. Most didn't talk much, and it when it was, it was on how their other king was doing. Many worried for Danny and the sentinels, and feared that none of them would come back. But they shrugged it off as best as they could; they couldn't do anything about it and couldn't spend time worrying about them, especially with Zira's clan on the borders of the Pride Lands.

He and Nala shared a huge piece of meat with Kopa and the other cubs eating beside them. It was delicious, and they savored each bite. For Simba, it was a challenge to be patrolling and doing rounds all at once. But in reality, a king is expected to do that. He just happened to be king of a pride with multiple males to share the duties. Some prides didn't even have two males, so he definitely wasn't going to be complaining.

When he finished, he laid down next to his mate and licked her face, cleaning the food and blood off of her. The others also sat down in the shade to cool down. Simba finished licking Nala. "Quite a first day doing everything."

Nala started licking him clean. "You'll settle into it fairly well. It's just that you have to multitask more than in the past. We all have challenges to rise up to."

"Ain't that the truth," Simba said. "It's just an extra part that I have to account for, that's all."

"Extra?" She asked. "How about something that you were always supposed to do, but had others to help out?"

Simba raised his paw. "Okay, okay. I get the picture. Like you said, I'll need some adjustment. But I got a lot of things on my mind right now. It's just stressing me a bit."

Nala finished licking him. "What things?" _I hope this isn't about Kovu._

"It's about Zira and the Outsiders," Simba scratched the dirt with his claws. "They have to know what's been going on, and I can only imagine they will be planning an attack."

"You think they'll attack soon?"

"That's my gut feeling," Simba replied. "Whether it's a hit-and-run or a full takeover, I don't know. But I need to be ready, and the lionesses too. Problem is, I've got more internal issues."

Nala was afraid he would say that. She knew what, or in this case, who he was referring to. "You're talking about Kovu, I take it?"

"Yeah," Simba sighed. "I really don't know what to think of him. He seems okay, but I can't help but link his being here with a possible attack from Zira. So as far as I'm concerned, the jury is still out with me on him."

Nala frowned. "Jury is still out on him?" She didn't understand what he was saying.

Simba realized it was one of his brother's many sayings from his world. "Oh, it's a saying Danny used a few times. It means you're not sure what to think or decide on a situation. For Kovu, I reserve judgment to find out what his intentions are."

Nala sighed. She wasn't going to argue with him on this, but she would hope that he would relax and not set the bar so high on his standards and expectations. If he set it too high and he failed, he would doubt himself and his abilities for the rest of his life. "I trust you know what you're doing, my love." She turned to face her son. "Alright, Kopa. It's time for a bath."

Kopa's ears drooped and his eyes widened. "Oh, no! I don't want a bath." He tried to run, but Nala grabbed the scruff of the young cub's neck and pulled him into her arms. "Come on, Mom. I don't want it!"

Nala rolled her eyes as she held him tight in her arms and cleaned him. "I can tell who he gets this behavior from." Her blue eyes flashed in Simba's direction.

Simba smirked. "That means I have two children who are like me that I have to watch out for. I wonder how my parents could stand me during all those times?"

"Simple. They had Danny to relieve them of their parenting duties."

"Yeah, who would have ever thought my 'big' brother would now be a fraction of my size?" He paused to think of Danny. There was so much that they missed out on, and wished it was much different. "I just hope he's doing well. I mean…I don't know." He looked Nala. "I just don't want anything to happen to him. He's the brother I never had and I-"

Nala finished bathing Kopa and nuzzled Simba's nose. "You're cute and you care." She licked Simba and they rested their heads on each others' shoulders.

Kopa watched this and stuck his tongue out in a disgusted fashion. "Ugh, get a room."

Simba couldn't help but laugh. This reminded him of when he was a cub. The day when Zazu said he and Nala would be married, he thought it was gross because she was his best friend. Now, it was Kopa's turn to share the sentiment. "If it's one consistent in the family blood, it's the witty sense of humor."

Nala giggled. "I think that's Danny's doing there. He's the wittiest of all of us when it comes to jokes. Then again, there's Tojo…"

They continued laughing about the quirks of the pride. It was good to ease the tension by reminiscing the funny moments of the past, and it definitely was important to have it now with what was going on.

"Sire!" Simba heard his title being called from the air, and there was only one airborne creature that would do that: Zazu. The hornbill came flying in at full speed. He usually wouldn't do that unless it was an urgent situation. Zazu swooped in and landed beside the king. He was clearly winded by the sound of his short and fast pants for air. Simba wanted to know why he would be coming in to report since he had to have recently returned from delivering the messages to Malka and Tupac's kingdoms, but waited for him to regain his breath and compose himself. Zazu finally did and bowed low. "Your Majesty."

"Zazu, didn't I tell you to take the rest of the day off when you returned from delivering my message to Malka and Tupac's prides?" Simba asked, his eyes narrow and alert.

Zazu's expression was sober. "Yes, your Majesty. I was on my way in when I was requested to deliver an urgent message. Kiara and Kovu want you to meet them by the river near the waterfall immediately. It is most important that you and Nala come now." He flew up and hovered in the air with his flapping wings, getting ready to return to his nest for the day.

Simba frowned. "Why? What for?"

"They didn't say."

* * *

**Aren't I good at leaving these cliffhangers? Hope you're on the edge of your seat, because it's gonna be one heck of a ride.**


	17. Highway to the Danger Zone

**Okay, here's the next chapter. I have until June 15****th**** to upload another chapter. My goal is to hit two more before leaving. Afterwards, you'll be lucky if I can even upload ONE chapter. I'm pretty sure this will crack the 200,000 word mark, so bear with me. Enjoy!**

Danny and the others woke up from their sleep. The sun had already risen, but it was extremely hot. The one upside to that was that they would be inside the ship, and the inner cooling units would keep them all from overheating. They all went down to the small river to get some water, but did not get any food. They didn't have the time and would have to wait until later, if there even was a later. Danny would do everything he could to ensure that.

They entered the _**Preliator **_and lifted off to head in the direction of Dasyu's hideout. They were now about two hours away at the point they were at, but ever since the radar ping, all of them knew their presence was known to their enemy. Sooner or later, someone would come. Danny was sure they would. But that would mean they would have to prepare now.

He set the ship for auto-pilot and headed into the maintenance bay, where the others were waiting for him. He would need to brief them on the situation. That was not going to be easy. It was one thing to brief humans, it was another thing altogether with animals. But they were predators, so they would have some understanding.

Danny sat in a chair and the others gathered around. "Alright, guys. Here's the deal. You know the basic objectives: find a way into Dasyu's place, rescue Sarabi and the others, and get out."

They all nodded in response. So far, they seemed on the same page with him. He continued. "Here's how we do it. The base has only one, huge opening: the hangar. That's where they hold ships, equipment, among other things." He pulled out a small remote, and aimed at a projector set up facing the widest and most flat wall of the ship. The projector warmed up and projected a picture of the hideout.

It was a huge mountain with no trees, and one observation tower as the only object sticking out at the top. One huge portion of the mountain's base was replaced with a huge, metal wall. That was the hangar. Other than that, it seemed pretty impregnable. That was about the only entrance that could be spotted. Outside of that, there was open terrain for about 500 yards before a huge forest. There were some boulders and dead trees among the open terrain, but that was about it.

Danny changed pictures to something else. Near the edge of the forests were veins of metal, rectangular, openings. Their mouths were about the only part sticking out of the ground. "These openings are conveyor belts. They take rocks, wood, and other natural resources and bring them inside to refine them for who-knows-what. That's my ticket into the hideout."

Zainabu watched each part with wonder, all the while paying attention. "That's brilliant. I doubt they would suspect us to go through there. Then what?"

"The first place I'll need to find is a control room to locate the lionesses…and possibly my family."

They all looked at him with frowns. "I don't have any proof that they're alive; I just have a feeling. This probably won't be easy, since I'm going to be battling my way through the whole time. After I find them, I'll lead them back into the conveyor belt, and return to the ship."

Haraka frowned. "I'm missing something. How exactly are we going to hide the ship? This beast doesn't exactly blend into the crowd, if you know what I mean."

Danny held up the remote. "This gizmo here also has a button that activates the Iron Curtain system. That will turn my ship completely invisible. I believe Malka remembers what happened to one of the senior lionesses from Jabari's…Amiri's pride, don't you?"

He was referring to the lioness who ran her head into the _**Preliator**_ when it was invisible. Even though that was years ago, Malka still remembered. "Like it happened yesterday," he said, laughing.

Tupac walked up to Danny. "I'm sorry, but why do you keep saying 'I' during this whole briefing?"

The others realized that he did, in fact, mention himself and not the others in the mission. Danny closed his eyes. This was not going to be good. He opened his eyes and faced all of them. "That's because only I will be going into the hideout."

Their reactions were immediately filled with expressions of protest. He knew this was to be expected, especially coming from the sentinel guardians. To hear that they would not be infiltrating the hideout left them feeling like a third wheel. Danny held up his hands before anyone spoke, even though they really did want to voice their opinions. "Guys, I know what you're thinking. But the fact of the matter is, I am the only one who stands a good chance in the stronghold as well as knowing what to look for. Besides, I need you for something else."

Mheetu arched an eyebrow. "And that would be?"

"A distraction," Danny replied. He went back to the huge picture of the stronghold and the surrounding terrain. Using a laser pointer, he aimed at the base of the mountain. Various parts held stations with huge drums and equipment, namely hoses. "Along the base of the mountain are refueling stations. They're most likely for ground vehicles. I will take out as many as I can."

He then brought the laser down on the forests. Upon closer examination, they could all see various camps of soldiers hanging out near the tree line. "There are various camps of soldiers positioned all along the tree line for the forest in between us and the stronghold. When I give the signal, you will attack them and retreat into the woods, drawing them to you. They should be confused by the attack on the stations and will most likely head back to them." He cracked his neck and stretched some of his muscles. "You guys know better than me at leading them into an ambush. When they go into the woods, they're all yours."

"I wanna go with you," Zainabu said. She was stuck to him like glue.

Danny shook his head. "I'm sorry, Zee. But I've got a personal score to settle with Dasyu, and I can't take the chance that you will get caught in there. In an enclosed area like this stronghold, you're abilities are limited." He pointed at his gun rack, holding all of his weapons. "My abilities will be expanded."

Tojo raised a paw. "How will you give us a signal? You gonna use your flare gun?"

Danny shook his head. "No, that will give away my position." He got up and walked over to the gun rack. Next to the rack was a clothing hanger, only there wasn't clothes occupying the hooks. On them were hodgepodge straps, neckbands, and earpieces, each cobbled together in similar forms. Only one was not cobbled; that was his own. It was a tactical throat microphone, used primarily by special forces units back home. He placed the neck band on his neck, with the microphone on his vocal cords and the ear piece in his ear. "This is what we will use for the signal as well as communication."

He grabbed one of the modified neckbands and walked over to Malka. "This device is voice-activated. Just talk into it, and I'll hear you. Vice versa, I'll talk back and you'll hear me." Danny grabbed the earpiece and moved toward Malka's ear. "Now this is the hard part, because this earpiece is meant for humans, not animals."

He stuck the earpiece deep in Malka's left ear and used the tape to make sure it wouldn't fall out. Then he took the modified band and wrapped it around Malka's neck. Because of his mane, Danny had some trouble with it, but managed to get it down on Malka's neck. The vocal cords were easy to find, since lions had the some of, if not, the largest vocal systems among mammals. Danny turned down the volume on Malka's earpiece since his hearing was much better than his own.

Danny stood up. "Now wait right here." He walked into the cockpit and closed the door. Bringing his voice down to a whisper, he turned his device on and spoke into it. "Can you hear me?"

What he got was a loud, "Turn it down! Yes, I can hear you fine," from Malka.

Danny blinked and smiled. _Whoops, guess it's still too high. _He turned it off and walked back in. He fixed Malka's earpiece so that the volume of his voice wouldn't make him go deaf. "So that's what we'll be using for communication and for the signal of the attack. Let's get them on now to avoid any problems later."

He took a good half an hour putting on everyone's neckbands. Haraka and Zainabu were the easiest since they had no manes, but everyone could speak and hear clearly with each other through the devices.

Tojo finally concluded the briefing. "What happens after we draw them out?" He was just making sure that he had heard correctly.

"You will treat it like a hunt. You are the hunters, they are the hunted. I'll signal to you when I have the pride and when we are out. We clear?"

Everyone nodded and agreed to the plan. Danny smiled. "Now, you guys are better and the bait-and-trap hunting than I am, so this shouldn't be too hard for you, but be careful. These guys are packin' here. They've got weapons and won't be afraid to use them, so try to avoid playing at their game. Treat them like prey who can viciously fight back. You need to get as close as possible before jumping them." His smile turned into a grim expression. "If not, there's no second chances."

They still nodded. None of them were afraid of the possible outcomes. Chumvi stepped forward. "We're still in, Danny. We didn't come this far to back down now." Tojo and Mheetu came up beside him. "We'd never be the same without our mates."

"They may not be part of my pride," Tupac said. "But I probably wouldn't be here if you never rescued my father, Danny. I figure this would be a good down payment."

Zainabu stepped forward. "You know I'm with you all the way, Danny."

Danny smiled and brushed his hand on her head. He turned to Haraka and arched an eyebrow. "What about you, Haraka?"

The king cheetah sat on his haunches and raised his paws. "Hey, suicide isn't in my job description."

_Still the same, old Haraka, _Danny thought. "Nor mine, which is why we're all going to make it out alive." He looked at all of them with beaming eyes. "Before we hit the danger zone here, I just wanna say that you guys are some of the greatest friends, some of the bravest people I've ever known…and you are all part of my family."

They all nodded and smiled back at him. They felt the same way towards him, and had great respect for Danny. The small band of rescuers were about to show Dasyu that successful forces aren't always the most talented or stocked with resources, but rather the most determined. They were determined to show that size wouldn't matter at all.

* * *

Dasyu sat in his control chair. Others were hard at work, giving him notice of anything out of the ordinary. The generals were getting set up for Danny's arrival, and kept him in touch with everything. He wasn't too worried, since he didn't believe Danny could win. The human was going up against impossible odds, and while Dasyu believed the boy would improvise and impress him, there was no way he could see Danny coming out victorious.

So far, things were progressing as planned. The inventory specialist had informed that the drones were nearly complete and awaiting a download for the artificial intelligence, which Danny would provide. The troops he had at his disposal were in position and awaiting orders, with the pilots ready to take the fight to the skies if necessary. The only trick to that was bringing Danny's ship down without destroying it. Without the AI, his mission would be a lot more difficult and time-consuming.

General Boronas had been sent out to confront Danny as soon as the human's ship reappeared on the radar. If he managed to best Dasyu's general, then the Hyena Trio would be sent out next. To him, he didn't think things would escalate that far. But if it did, he would start to wonder if he was battling a human or a demon.

Dasyu got up and walked around the observation tower. Most people were busy at work, so they paid him no mind unless he came close to them. When he first set up this base, there was nothing but forests and rocks surrounding the mountain. Now, about a quarter of a mile in all directions was nothing but open terrain, with a few rocks, trees, trenches, and bomb holes. It was all refined, along with other natural resources to build up his stronghold. It took nearly seven years, but it was worth it. He had outdone himself compared to his last base of operations, and it had also taken substantially longer and resource consuming.

As he looked out of the glass viewport, he took in the now afternoon sun. The only disadvantage he had was the night. He, like the rest of his men, had no natural night vision. If Danny had anything like that running for him, not to mention any of his animal companions, then he would have something of a problem here. Most animals, particularly predators, had excellent vision in the dark. That was a great tool to have in hunting. Sadly, it didn't transfer to Dasyu and his transformers. If night vision was built into them, then they were alright. Otherwise, they would have to rely on power lights and illumination flares.

The signal officer, Gyro, approached him. "Lord Dasyu, I have just received a message from General Boronas. He reports that he has the human's ship in his sight. He awaits your orders."

Dasyu smiled. _Well, it's about time I heard something interesting._ "Very well, tell him to proceed. Tell him to target the ship's engines and force it to land. If he can't do that, then blow it out of the sky to force it to the ground. I want the ship as intact as possible." His eyes glowed red, causing Gyro to back up. "He will have a lot to answer for if he completely destroys the hull."

"Y-Yes, my lord." Gyro quickly answered before heading back to his post.

Dasyu smiled as he watched the officer leave. He always enjoyed the sight of fear and pain, even if it came from one of his own. It always brought him a sense of satisfaction when his subjects endured the worst level of torture and still remained alive. The ones that died quickly always bored him out of his skull. The subjects who showed pain but no fear were good, but they would get old fast. He thrived on fear and terror, whether the subject showed pain or not. It never got old to him; in fact, it was a refreshment to him, almost like a lullaby to put a baby to sleep.

Only this time, it would be no sweet bedtime story for Danny. It would be a living hell.

* * *

Danny flew closer to his destination. The only occupants in the cockpit with him were Zainabu and Haraka. The others were waiting in the maintenance bay, ready to land and move out. Right now, he was about an hour away from Dasyu's location, so he still had to plan out how he was going to approach the mountain.

He knew someone was going to come and confront him, but how many would be another story. This was probably where he was the most disadvantaged. He had no gunners to operate the dorsal and ventral cannons. While he could still fire them without gunners, they would only fire straight ahead like any other forward-mounted cannon. The Vulcan cannons would also dole out punishment as well as the remaining missiles at his disposal. Problem was, his ship was built for speed and transport, not dog-fighting.

Pretty much, he would be playing this by ear. He groaned. _That's the one thing I hate to do in a fight: planning it out as I go. _But he had little choice, so he shrugged it off.

He turned to Haraka. "Anything on the radar screen yet, Haraka?"

The king cheetah shook his head. "No red dots on the screen, Danny."

Danny let out a sigh. He was starting to wonder if Dasyu was playing with him. "Alright, then. Keep watch on it."

Zainabu, who was sitting right next to him, asked, "What do you plan to do in regards to fighting from the air?"

"The best I can, Zee," Danny said in a low tone. "If I had gunners, then this would be a lot easier to deal with. But I'm going to have to improvise the whole way. If we can land close enough to Dasyu's hideout, without any air threats, then we should be fine. I might have to use the Iron Curtain system to avoid Dasyu's air forces. Problem is, I can't have it on while flying the ship for an extended period of time. If the ship was on the ground, then I could have the system up for about a week."

"But when flying, how long can you have the Iron Curtain on?"

Danny looked at her. "Fifteen minutes."

She worked her jaw for her next statement. Fifteen minutes was a huge difference from a week. "So, I guess you would need to wait until the perfect time to use it and land, am I right?"

"Couldn't be more on-the-ball than that, Zee," Danny responded. Soon, his team was going to be taking part in one of the craziest events possible, and he had a feeling it was going to happen real soon. "Otherwise, the system overloads and burns out, leaving me without one of my most important tools on this ship."

"Uh, I have a huge red dot on the screen," Haraka said, sounding unsure. "It's on the top of the screen and heading down."

Danny gulped. _Perfect timing. _"Then that means a ship is heading straight for us. Get ready, everyone." This was it, and there was no turning back for him.

A red button near his battle screen appeared. Whoever it was, they were sending a video transmission to him. He hesitated, wondering what he would say or do in response. With curiosity, he thumbed the button. The battle screen came to life and brought up a hologram of a figure.

It was not Dasyu, but it was definitely one of his people. The figure was a transformer, but something of a hybrid between a robot and a lion. That was evident by the lion head on his chest. But the most striking feature of him was his ice blue eyes. It was enough to make Danny shiver. The expression of the figure was equally cold and emotionless.

The figure spoke with a deep, booming voice. "Greetings, human. You must be Danny."

Danny tried not to smirk as he looked the figure over. _Looks like his mama dropped him a few too many times._ "Yes, I am." A long pause was met afterwards. Danny arched an eyebrow. "You know, first meetings generally warrant introductions."

"Oh, yes. How rude of me. I am General Boronas, commander of Lord Dasyu's air forces and third-in-command. You have what Lord Dasyu wants, that's the-"

"The artificial intelligence from my ship, I know," Danny said, interrupted him. _Does everyone Dasyu has under his thumb have a title to their name?_

Boronas acted cool, as if Danny never interrupted him. "Well then, I'm going to give you a fair chance to set down and hand over the AI to me. Do that, and you walk away alive and unscathed. Otherwise, we will do things the old-fashioned way: we'll take it from you by force. I will wait twenty seconds for your answer."

Danny didn't even wait five. "Tell Dasyu to kiss my foot and stick his head into a crocodile's mouth. Is that a simple enough task for you to handle?" He sounded like a teacher who had no respect nor care for his students.

For the first time, Boronas smirked. "I was kind of hoping you'd say that. It's been so long since I've had a challenge. Do not disappoint me."

"Never mess with someone you don't know, Boronas. They might just be better than you," Danny quipped.

Before anything else could be said, Haraka's voice came up. "Uh, Danny? We have a red thingy…moving toward the green thingy…" He clearly sounded nervous.

Danny turned to face him. "What? What are you talking about?" He got up from his seat and headed over to see what Haraka was stammering over.

Haraka's eyes were glued to the radar screen. "Red thingy…moving toward the green thingy…" He turned to look at Danny. "Um, I think…we're the green thingy."

Danny looked to see a small red dot heading towards the big green dot at the bottom of the radar. It didn't take long for him to realize what it was. "Oh, crap."

"A little present for you, human," Boronas said, before cutting the transmission.

"We gotta move!" Danny jumped into the seat and manned the controls. He shoved the throttle forward and dove down.

Unfortunately, the missile that was locked onto his ship struck hard. Zainabu and Haraka were knocked off their feet. Danny clenched his teeth as the shockwave from the blast shook him to the core and threatened to launch him from his seat. The entire cockpit went red and alarms blared from the speakers. Fortunately, he recovered and leveled out. Danny finally got to look up and see what he was up against. He nearly paled at what he saw.

There were no fighters or small craft in front of him, but rather, a huge ship. It was twice the size of the _**Paratus Preliator**_, and looked armed to the teeth with weapons. It had a boxy frame, with the front having a ramp-like frame that leveled out in the middle before having another ramp incline. Four wings spread out like a giant "X", with the tips leveling out flat. What Danny could clearly see was the missiles on the wings.

The good thing was the fact that it was the only ship to deal with. Plus, it didn't look fit for dog fighting, so Danny's _Axalon-_class ship had the advantage due to its smaller size. If he could outrun it, this would be a heck of a lot better than dealing with a horde of fighters.

However, he still had to deal with the plethora of missiles of Boronas' command ship. Already, a dozen missiles were heading his way. "Hang on, everybody!" He went pedal to the medal and dove for the ground. He turned the battle radar on to give him a 360 degree view of the area. He saw the multiple red dots suddenly flash larger, and began to dive and follow his ship. Danny frowned. _Why did they suddenly get larger? _He had no time to think about it. The man needed to act.

Danny considered releasing his flares, but withheld that decision. He might need it for something worse. Of course, diving straight at the ground might be as bad as it could get. He was a mile from the ground and was closing awfully fast. Haraka and Zainabu were still sitting down, but felt pressed back against the cockpit door. If it was one invention he was glad to have installed on his ship, it was the ship-wide inertial compensator-a device that would keep the Zainabu, Haraka, and the others from being tossed around like rag dolls.

He reached five hundred feet. That was when he yanked back on the stick. Already, his vision was starting to fade as the G-forces were beginning to exert on him. He leveled out at fifty feet above the ground and his vision began to restore itself. That was cutting it too close, but it paid off. Ten of the twelve missiles slammed into the ground, eliminating the major portion of the missile wave.

But that still left two, and he had already taken damage from one missile. He didn't want to test his ship's armor with two more. Danny decided to activate his countermeasures and released a flare decoy. The two missiles bought it and went for the flare. When they reached the flare and passed through it, the heat seekers lost the energy signature of the _**Preliator**_, and headed straight down into the ground.

Danny sighed. "Well, that's one less problem." He looked at the radar. Boronas' command ship was above and behind him, but the general was already turning his ship around to come in behind the _**Preliator**_. "Now, I got another one."

"Very clever, Danny," Boronas said over the speakers. He managed to tap into the speakers of Danny's ship, leaving the man open to taunts by the General. "Now, see if you can handle this."

Missile lock warning systems began screaming at Danny. He looked on the battle radar to see that another dozen missiles headed his way. These missiles were different from the first wave. Each one, according to the readout on his screen, indicated that they were radar-guided. That meant they were "smarter" than heat seekers, being able to search for more than just heat signatures. They had their own radar built into them and could independently track their targets.

Danny knew flares wouldn't do much good against them, but a chaff countermeasure could. He reached a rocky canyon and waited until the missiles got close before going in. As soon as he dove into the canyon, he released the chaff. The countermeasure exploded into a cloud of aluminum and glass fibers, disrupting the missiles' radar. Each and every missile crashed into the canyon walls and surface.

"Is that all you got, Boronas? I'm getting bored," Danny taunted over the radio. He brought the _**Preliator**_ up into the air, but still had Boronas tight on his tail. "You said you wanted a challenge, right? Well, I'm now the one needing the challenge."

Surprisingly, Boronas kept his tone cool and amused. "Oh, I'm just getting warmed up, human."

The next thing Danny knew, Boronas' ship opened up with rocket pods. The rockets were unguided, but the rapid-fire rate more than made up for that handicap. Also, Boronas began firing his cannons at the _**Preliator**_. Danny jinked and swerved to avoid the shots. Even though most of the missiles and shots hit the ground, he was still taking damage.

His only way of avoiding the shots were the pillars ahead of him. Hopefully, he could evade and surprise Boronas with some of his own tricks.

* * *

"Steady bearing, Lieutenant. Continue forward on the human's ship and do not cease firing," Boronas ordered. He was hot on the human's tail. He had to admit, he definitely admired the smaller ship. If he managed to keep it intact, he might take it as an addition to his collection of ships. Dasyu probably wouldn't have a problem as long as he had the AI for the drones.

The crew of his flagship was one of the most dedicated crew General Boronas ever had. He had hand-picked these members to be the crew of his ship, and it showed. They were doing a great job, but the problem was, the human was cunning and clever in the air. Whatever training he had under his wing, it was paying off.

_For the moment, anyway_, he thought. Sooner or later, Danny would get frustrated, and when that happened, Boronas would have him. He watched the human's ship fly into a maze of pillars. The human was doing what he could to avoid the rocket pods, weaving through the rocky towers. The rockets slammed into pillars and caused some to fall right in front of them. Still the ship managed to maneuver its way through the destruction.

Boronas looked at his radar officer. "Radar, where is the target?"

The officer looked his way. "He's still in front of us, General."

"Good, make sure it stays that way. The fun's just starting and I'd hate to have it come crashing down too soon," he said, his voice full of amusement.

They maneuvered through the pillar field before coming to a clearing. While that was all well and good that they were out, there was one problem: the human's ship was nowhere in front of them. Boronas looked left and right, but there was no sleek, angular ship in sight.

He narrowed his eyes. "Radar, where is the human?"

"He's still in front of us, sir," was the response he got.

Boronas shook his head. _Where would he go_? There was nothing in front of him, nothing to the left, and nothing to the right. They were close to the ground, so the human couldn't be below them. Boronas looked up above him, and smirked. Climbing into the sky was the human's ship, gaining altitude.

He turned to his weapons officer. "Lock two compliments of missiles on that ship, both heat seekers and radar-guided, and fire at will." Boronas turned to face the high-flying ship above him. "Your move, human."

* * *

Danny kept climbing. The pillars worked long enough for him to temporarily lose them. But he knew it wouldn't last forever. He was still on their radar, and would remain on their scopes until he activated the Iron Curtain. Then he would be good for another fifteen minutes until he landed. Right now, he had to climb high into the skies to get some time to think, but he knew that time wouldn't hold out for very long.

It didn't. As soon as he reached 6000 feet, alarms started wailing in the cockpit. Danny looked to see that not only was the standard missile lock warning going off, but the radar-guided one as well. Geez, _he's shooting both barrels at me._ Boronas was launching both missiles at him. Danny was starting to wonder if Dasyu actually wanted the AI or not. It seemed as though he just wanted to destroy both the man and the ship.

Zainabu steadied herself from the constant motion. She called out to Danny. "What's that noise?"

"He's locked onto us," Danny responded. He turned to face her. "He's using both kinds of mis…oh, crap! He's firing."

The radar produced two dozen new targets. At first, only half of them started out as medium-sized red dots. About five seconds later, the other half grew just as large. Danny wanted to know why they did that. He couldn't understand why, but he hoped he could figure out soon, because it was beginning to annoy him.

Danny had only about twenty seconds to think of something before the missiles were on him. He needed a quick-fix strategy, and only one thing came to his mind. His crew was going to claw him apart for it, but they would have to suck it up and hold on for now. He turned the gravity settings on the inertial compensator to maximum. Already, he was feeling the systems pressing him hard into his seat, but at least he wasn't going anywhere.

The same was said for Haraka and Zainabu. They went to their bellies and were stuck there. In the maintenance bay, the others were also in the same predicament. Through his headset, Danny heard Tojo's voice. "Hey, boss. Care to explain why we can't lift ourselves off the ground?"

Danny suppressed a laugh. "I increased the gravity in the ship. It'll keep you pressed to the ground, but it will also keep you from flying around back there. Just hang on, guys."

"Oh, really? Because I was actually thinking about taking a walk," Malka replied sarcastically.

Danny rolled his eyes and pulled back on the stick. The ship began to loop around and level out, but it was upside down. Danny was thankful he didn't feel himself being lifted out of his seat. He waited until the missiles were within 1200 feet before bringing the _**Preliator **_down into a dive. The missiles followed his path point-for-point and streaked in at him, sending an echoing scream through the air.

With the missiles closing in, Danny sent the throttle to maximum and dove down. It didn't take long for him to find his target.

* * *

Boronas watched the missiles zero in on Danny's ship, which was climbing fast. At this point, he was hoping to disable the engines and hope that the human's ship would remain in one piece. But being at a high altitude, the smaller ship's chances of that happening was more fantasy than reality. The General was counting on his opponent to try to pull the same maneuver with the first wave of missiles he had sent out. If he did dive straight down, Boronas would be able to find a simpler means of disabling the ship, such as using the remaining rocket pods and cannons to bring Danny down.

"General Boronas."

Boronas slowly exhaled as he heard the voice that resounded in the bridge. He turned to face the screen, projecting his commander. "Lord Dasyu. Is there something you desire from me?"

"The simple fact that I want to _disable _the human's ship, not destroy it!" The heat in Dasyu's voice was evident.

Boronas resisted the urge to step back. "My lord, I am simply trying to…persuade, for lack of a better term, the human to become predictable and fly at a lower altitude. That way, I will have an easier means to disabling his ship."

"I don't believe a tsunami of missiles is the best method of approach, General. If that ship becomes a shower of metal, that is what you will become." Dasyu leaned close to the monitor and iced his tone. "Do you understand me?"

Boronas remained calm. "Whatever you say, my lord."

"Good. I've been watching the video feed and the radar logs, so keep me entertained as long as possible without destroying that ship. When you do disable that ship and force it to land, preserve the artificial intelligence but I care not for anything else. The human and his companions, if he has any, are expendable."

Boronas seemed unfazed. "Yes, sir. Boronas out."

As he did so, klaxon alarms went off. He frowned. _What is going on?_ It was only a few moments before he got his answer, when one of his subordinates appeared beside him.

"Sir, the target's diving right at us!"

Boronas' eyes widened. But he never lost his cool, and took action immediately. "All ahead full."

"Yes, sir. All ahead full," came the reply from his pilot.

As the ship increased speed, Boronas looked to his XO. "Lieutenant, tell the dorsal gunner to open fire on the ship. Try to get it to divert."

"Yes, sir!"

Seconds later, Boronas watched on another screen, showing the dorsal turret opening up on the human's ship. Sadly, the turrets fire was having no effect, and the human did not deviate from his course. It was only a matter of time. Boronas managed to smirk. He didn't believe the human would have the backbone to commit suicide and ram his ship. Then again, this man was known to do some rather unpredictable moves.

He heard his navigations officer sound off, with the crew listening in nervously. "Standby for impact…in ten seconds." Everything seemed to slow down like melting plastic. "…nine…eight…seven…six…five…"

* * *

Danny came closer and closer to the ship. He was diving straight at Boronas, and was hoping he would be able to pull off the crazy maneuver he was performing. Otherwise, he would end up as a grease mark on the top of the enemy command ship, or the ground.

He could hear some of the lions screaming through the headsets from the increasing gravity, and Danny's vision was starting to fade into blackness. He checked his radar. He was 2000 feet from his target, giving him only seconds for time. Boronas' ship opened fire with a dorsal cannon, but most of the shots were either missing him or having minimal effect, neither of which were enough to make him pull up.

"Time to show them that this baby's got some teeth of her own." Danny switched over to the Vulcan cannons and aimed. He could see the flashes of the cannon firing at him and decided to center his brackets on that. He squeezed the trigger and could hear the _thump-thump-thump _of the Vulcans firing back. He kept it up before firing two missiles at the ship's "deck" for added effect.

Danny was now seconds from impact. He keyed his com. "Merry Christmas, Boronas!" He pulled up and to starboard and skimmed the port side of Boronas' ship. He cleared the side and barely managed to avoid clipping the flagship's wings. Now underneath, he pulled up to level out. "And a Happy New Year!"

* * *

Dasyu finished his transmission with Boronas and watched the radar. Danny's ship was now being chased by two dozen or so missiles, and both factions were climbing high. This was a spot Dasyu did not want the human's ship to be. It was high in the sky, and even if it was disabled, it was a long way to the ground and an even longer shot that the artificial intelligence he needed would remain intact.

The only artificial intelligence he had was inserted into himself, and that was before he even came to this waste of a planet. He couldn't make a copy of it, and that's why he needed an entirely new one. When he first detected it, back when Danny crashed his ship here, new hope and ambition came to Dasyu. The hard part was getting it, as the human wasn't making life any easier.

He narrowed his eyes as he watched the second-largest blip, Danny's ship, begin to pull back and level out inverted in the sky. "What is that boy think he's doing?" He continued to watch as he saw the blip begin to dive straight down, with the missiles hot on the human's tail. It was then that he realized the human was diving straight at Boronas' ship. "What the…what's he think he is? A kamikaze?"

Then he began to panic as he had an awful premonition creep through him. Did Danny actually know what he was after, and was more willing to sacrifice the AI, himself, and the lions Dasyu had captured? He watched the distance between the two ships close awfully fast. They were seconds from collision. He watched the timer count down the seconds. It read five seconds….four…three…two…one…" The blip indicating Danny's ship swept in close and passed on the left side of Boronas' flagship. It cleared the ship, remaining intact.

Dasyu's moment of relief only lasted for that long: a moment. When he looked up, he saw the twenty-some odd missiles still streaking in. His jaw dropped and eyes widened as he realized what the human was doing. The missiles kept going after the human, but Boronas' ship was in the way. All of the missiles slammed into the hull of the General's ship, causing massive damage. It began descending to the ground rapidly, but the readouts indicated it was still flyable. Boronas would probably land and repair the ship.

The human's ship, on the other hand, dropped completely off the radar. There was no sign of it anywhere. Dasyu looked at his radar operator. The operator shrugged. He was just as clueless as Dasyu was; the human's energy signature was gone.

Dasyu, despite his anger, managed to smile with amusement. "At least this will be some fun, after all."

* * *

Boronas held on as his pilot brought the ship down for an emergency landing. The human displayed cunning tactics and managed to disable his ship. By passing underneath, the human managed to put the General right in between himself and the missiles. Most of the damage was amidships on the top side, destroying all communications arrays and most of the dorsal cannons. Boronas was out of the fight, at least for now. If the human was still alive, Boronas would be sure to remedy that mistake.

The landing was far from smooth, as the crew fought to either remain in their seats or stand. Those that were in the middle of either one were sent into the deck. Boronas, himself, held onto the safety bar on the ceiling. He wasn't able to make it to his command chair to strap in, so it was all he had.

The ship finally screeched to a halt, and the crew breathed a sigh of relief that they were still alive. Boronas composed himself and brushed the dust off of his shoulders. "I want diagnostics right now. What needs to be fixed?"

It was a long minute before he got an answer from his executive officer. "Communications are heavily damaged, we only have short-wave. That's not enough to reach Command. Dorsal cannon is destroyed and the radar is damaged, but operational. Engines are overheated and it's going to take time before they're ready to be fired up again. Batteries are damaged. 300amps stern, 200amps bow."

"Which, if we were able to fly, would only give us enough power to dive, climb, and maneuver around somewhat. We'll have to conserve electricity to speed up the repairs to the batteries." It was surprising that the General was completely calm, given what everyone just went through, but it was why many respected him and would fight alongside him anywhere.

Boronas nodded and began to walk to his now-damaged viewport. He looked out among the lands, but could see no ships in sight. "Do you have the location of the enemy ship?"

"Negative, sir. But that could be because the radar isn't functioning at full capacity. Shall we send anyone after the human?" The XO asked.

Boronas smiled as he continued to look out among the lands. "Patience, lieutenant…patience."

They would have their chance at payback later. For now, the primary focus was repairing the flagship. Boronas was far from angry. In fact, he was actually glad that he finally had a challenge after all these years. The human thought on his feet, so to speak, and was able to pull some rather drastic maneuvers in the process. The entertainment from the battle filled him with anticipation for the next fight, and Boronas was looking forward to the next fight with the man that thought like him.

* * *

Danny found an open channel and video feed and plugged it in. He wanted to make sure Dasyu was listening. He had survived round one, and was going to send a message to stir up the next one. He had set the _**Preliator**_ down in a gorge about an hour away from Dasyu's location. He needed to repair the ship and that would take the rest of the day. The team would continue the next day, but it probably wouldn't be until midday.

Danny linked the feed and channel together and began broadcasting. "Hey, Dasyu. I hope you enjoyed the fight, because I'm just getting started." He chuckled. "If you think that bozo of a general you call Boronas was supposed to be a challenge for me, then you've got another thing coming."

His voice went ice cold. "I coming for you Dasyu, you can be sure of that. I'm gonna kill you…and anyone else who gets in my way. Keep that in mind. Pop quiz, Dasyu. The freight train is coming and you're stuck on the tracks. What do _you_ do?"

With that he cut the transmission and got up. He had a lot of work to do, and he needed to get to work now.

* * *

Simba ran with all that he could. If Kiara and Kovu wanted him and Nala to come to her immediately, then it had to be urgent, especially since they didn't say what for. Whatever it was, they needed him to be there and Nala as well. He could only wonder what it was. Did they find something? Were one of the herds under attack? Was it one of Dasyu's people? He didn't know, but when he got there, he would have his answer.

Nala was running beside him, and having no trouble keeping the pace. It was second nature to her, and not having a mane reduced her likelihood of heat exhaustion. She was just as concerned about the situation, but she was also very curious too. She was wondering what would cause her daughter to send for her parents without telling why.

They came to the edge of the forest and could see the river in the distance. Simba's heart was pounding against his chest, and he felt as though it were going to pound its way out. He slowed down his pace to recover his breath faster. He passed through the trees and came to a clearing. In the distance, he could see Kiara and Kovu. He also saw another animal with them. He couldn't tell who it was, but he could clearly tell it was a lion, a male lion at that.

Simba frowned and turned to his mate. "I hope this is…good news. Who do you think…the rogue is?"

Nala shook her head. "Your guess is as good as mine." She started running. "But let's find out."

Simba, still winded from the run, picked up the pace and ran towards his daughter. It was only a few moments before he reached them. Kiara was clearly disturbed, and Kovu looked as subdued as ever. Simba frowned at seeing their expressions, but waited until he caught his breath. "We came as soon as we could."

Kiara nodded. "Glad you did, Daddy."

"So what's the reason you wanted us to come here for?"

Kiara turned to the rogue. "He is."

Simba finally got a close-up of the new lion. When he finished running, he wasn't sure if it was the most winding of his life. Now, he was having a hard time breathing. From the moment he laid eyes on the lion, he recognized him immediately, and paled. "You…no! I don't…I don't believe this. It can't be you."

**I'm sure I must be giving someone a heart attack with these cliffhangers, but at least it keeps you on the edge of your seat…at least, I hope so.**


	18. Redeo de Filius

**Hey, everyone. I'm starting to pack up for camp, so I don't know if I can get off another chapter for you. If you don't see anything in 2-3 weeks, then it's safe to assume I won't be writing again until August. I hope you've enjoyed this so far, but because of this, my future stories will be somewhat similar to my first: write the entire story first, then post it. That way, it won't be pressed and leaving you all hanging for ten weeks.**

**If you want one more chapter, here's a tip: reviews, whether they are good or constructive, will motivate me. so if you want one, send me some input.**

* * *

Kovu rushed his opponent as soon as he came out of the brush. It was a male lion. Whoever he was, he didn't seem to be having any of Kovu's aggressive behavior, and rushed out in similar fashion to the dark-furred lion. Kiara was behind him, so he didn't have to worry about her getting in the middle of it and injuring herself. Kovu wasn't sure about what was going to happen, but he did know one thing: the rogue lion was hostile.

Kovu leapt forward, claws unsheathed, at the rogue lion. The rogue saw it coming and didn't duck; he rolled. The rogue rolled on his belly while swinging his rear legs around. By the time Kovu landed and turned around, the rogue had swung himself up and back to Kovu. Again, Kovu repeated his attack as before, jumping at the lion with open paws and open claws. This time, the rogue ran low and jumped up. With Kovu in the air, the rogue's back slammed into Kovu's underside, knocking the wind out of Kovu and sending him skidding into the ground.

Kovu stood up and faced his opponent, staring at him with disbelief. This rogue lion's fighting style was completely unconventional, and that meant he was unpredictable. Kovu was a master at a fight, but with an unconventional opponent, he would have a hard time countering any moves.

Kovu decided to go for a low dive, but this was met by an uppercut from the rogue. The blow dazed Kovu for a second, but he recovered quickly.

The two lions were rolling around, fighting fiercely and not giving any openings. Kovu would get a swipe or two in, but the rogue was full of energy and seemed to have age on his side. He looked a little older, so he probably had some tricks that Kovu didn't have. The rogue slammed his paw across Kovu's face, knocking the younger lion off.

Kiara watched with worry. She didn't want Kovu to get hurt, but it looked like neither would walk away without injury. She looked around for help, but could find none. There was not an animal in sight. It was then, when Kiara looked into the sky, did she spot someone familiar. The same hornbill that had been helping her father out. Without hesitation, Kiara ran in the direction of Zazu. He seemed to be flying perpendicular to her approach to him.

She ran with all she could. Thankfully, she didn't have a mane to hold her back, and she was lighter too. That gave her two advantages over a male lion. Kiara soon was close enough to be within earshot of the majordomo, and called to him. "Zazu! Zazu!"

The hornbill picked up the call and turned to face the source of the call. When he saw Kiara, he knew it was an emergency. Even though he was given the rest of the day off from the long journey telling Malka and Tupac's kingdoms what was happening, he homed in on Kiara's position. He came down and landed in front of her. "You want me, Princess?"

Kiara fought the urge to roll her eyes. Sometimes, the title got annoying. "Yes, Zazu. Kovu and I need to go get my father and mother. Tell them to come to the river by the waterfall."

"What for?" Zazu asked.

"Just get them. I don't have time to explain. Please hurry, Zazu."

"At once," Zazu said before taking off.

Kiara ran back to where Kovu and the rogue were fighting. She knew this would require her father's help, and the last thing they needed was an invading rogue trying to take over the kingdom. She ran back to reach Kovu to assess the situation.

Kovu and the rogue were fighting intensely, but were beginning to wear out. The heat was wearing them down, and both knew they would have to respite before continuing the battle. Kovu thought he had an opportunity to tackle and pin the rogue. He tackled the lion and landed on top of him, pinning him to the ground. "Gotcha."

With a grunt, the lion used his hind legs to flip Kovu over him. The latter landed on his back, nearly knocking the wind out of him. He was now wheezing, but could hear the rogue trying to regain his breath as well.

Both of them got up and faced each other again. They began to stalk each other, walking in a circle and never taking their eyes off of each other. In reality, the two lions were just trying to buy some time to regain their breath all the while searching for a weak spot or opening in the other's defense. Kovu growled. "You fight pretty well…for a rogue."

"I could say the same of you." The rogue's voice was light in tone and a little high in pitch. "Of course, I'm surprised you managed to take over the kingdom from the other male lions."

Kovu stopped pacing and frowned. "How do you know there were other males?"

The lion smiled. "Because I used to live here, a long time ago. I also would like to know how you managed to drive Danny out of here. You had to have ambushed him before he could shoot you with one of his weapons. Otherwise, you'd have no chance against him."

Whatever fight that was in Kovu before, it was replaced with absolute confusion. Who was this rogue? And how did he know there were others? Kiara was just as confused, and moved cautiously up to the rogue. It was then that she got a good examination of the lion. He shared the same golden hue of fur as her, but his russet mane and brown eyes reminded her a lot of her fathers. "Who are you? And how do you know Danny?"

The lion was about to answer when Simba and Nala came running up to them. No matter what happened, this was going to get settled. Both of Kiara's parents looked out of breath, Simba more than Nala. Simba regained his breath and spoke. "We got here as soon as we could."

Kiara nodded. "Glad you did, Daddy."

"So what's the reason you wanted us to come here for?"

She turned to the rogue. "He is."

Her father examined the rogue closely. Recognition flashed across his face as his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets and his jaw dropped. "You…no! I…I don't believe this. It can't be you."

The rogue smiled. "Hello to you too, Pops."

"Pops?" Kiara and Kovu asked at the same time. Kiara looked at Simba. "Who is this guy, Father?"

Simba couldn't even speak, mostly from shock. He knew who it was. The rogue smiled. "Simba seems a little tongue-tied right now, so I'll answer for that. My name is Tanabi, son of Simba and nephew of Danny, kings of the Pride Lands."

Kiara's mouth nearly dropped as far as her father's, and Nala also was stunned. This was all so much for everyone to take. For years, she had heard stories of her older brother, always wishing she could meet him. Now, it went from fiction to reality. The oldest child of Simba and Nala, thought to be dead, was alive and well. "You're Tanabi? The one who was sent down a waterfall and killed?"

Tanabi smirked. "Well, everything but the 'dead' part. I take it you're my sister then?"

Kiara quickly nodded. She didn't know what to say, so that was the only thing that came to her mind.. It seemed all so hard to process for her. She felt ecstatic, confused, curious, happy, and awestruck all at the same time. Only when she noticed Tanabi was waving his paw back and forth in front of her face, did she snap out of her trance. "I was told you were killed before I was even born."

Tanabi shrugged. "Eh, I guess that's what everyone has thought up to this point. I haven't given a reason otherwise until now."

"Will someone please tell me what is going on here?" Kovu demanded.

Tanabi and Kiara both turned to face him. Tanabi frowned. "It's a bit of a long story. By the way, who are you?"

Kovu blinked, surprised by the sudden etiquette. This was the lion he had just fought, after all. "Uh, I'm Kovu."

Now it was Tanabi's turn to have something of recognition passed through his eyes. "Kovu? Heh…I remember you when you were just born. You and your sister, uh…Vitani, right?"

The surprise in Kovu's expression was now compounded. "H-How…I mean, have we met before?"

"You probably were too young to remember me. As I said, that's a long story. How's your parents doing?"

Kovu frowned. He hated getting into this with others. "Uh, my mother is no longer here and I never knew my father."

Tanabi acted as though someone told him to go down the waterfall again. "Never knew your father? Did Tojo and Kula die or something?"

"Tojo and Kula are not my parents. My mother is Zira and all I know about my father is that he was a rogue male."

Now Tanabi was just plain confused. He turned to Kiara. "Am _I_ missing something here?"

Kiara nodded. "That's our long story. We'll talk about it back at Pride Rock."

Tanabi walked over to his still-stunned parents. Both Simba and Nala were unable to speak, at first. They were still stunned that Tanabi was still alive, but they were starting to smile. He came up close and eyed each of them. "Hey, mom…dad. It's been awhile." He kept staring at them, waiting for what they would do next. He wasn't surprised, since they had thought he was dead for the last three years.

Suddenly, both parents embraced their son. Tears flowed from both Nala and Simba as they were reunited with their son. All the years of finally getting through the pain of Tanabi's supposed death, and now that pain was completely gone. Nala rubbed her head along Tanabi's full grown mane. "Oh, Tanabi. I'm so glad you're alive."

Simba didn't have any words to say that would comprehend his elation and happiness. The son whom he cared about so much was alive and before him. He just embraced his son and cried. _Tanabi, my boy. You're alive._ This was a day of days, and they all had so much to catch up on.

* * *

"After I had fallen down the waterfall, I was knocked unconscious," Tanabi said. The five lions headed back to Pride Rock and had a lengthy discussion between each other. The rest of the pride remained out in the field, but they would be back soon. In the meantime, Tanabi was explaining his story. Kiara was definitely intent on listening, as were Simba and Nala.

Kovu was listening, but was starting to feel more divided. When he heard that Zira had set Nuka up to betray Tanabi and that she tried to kill him, Kovu felt more guilty for what he was sent here to do, and was angered at Zira for what she had done. _I think Danny was right. I think I am a pawn in Zira's game._ This was something Kovu was going to have make a decision on, and soon. But that was for later. Right now, he needed to listen in to Tanabi.

"I woke up some time later. From my travels, I had to have been knocked out for quite some time because I traveled a long way to get back here. Getting up the cliff was a pain in the butt," Tanabi said humorously.

"But why didn't you come back sooner?" Nala asked.

"I'm getting to that," Tanabi responded. "I woke up in some sort of jungle. It was pretty big, but no fellow lions around. I pretty much raised myself while I was there. I learned how to hunt, how to fight. Heck, I even learned to sleep in a tree like a leopard. But after three years, I decided I would be able to sustain myself for the journey back home. I basically followed the river until I found the waterfall. A two hundred foot drop kinda sticks out among the landscape."

Simba smiled. "At least you're safe and sound." He couldn't be more overjoyed, but what father wouldn't upon finding out his son was alive? But then something came to mind. All this time, he thought Tanabi was dead, and the events that had happened since…

He cleared his throat. "Well, I'm glad you're back, son. However, there is a bit of bad news." Simba hesitated. He wasn't sure how Tanabi was going to take the fact that Kiara would be the next in line to succeed him as ruler of the Pride Lands. "I had already passed my blessing on to Kiara. She is to be the future queen and successor to the throne. I'm…sorry, Tanabi. I guess it wasn't meant to be."

To everyone's surprise, Tanabi just shrugged. "Well, that's okay, Dad. I haven't had that much training on royalty to begin with, and personally, I just prefer to be 'one of the gang' as Danny put it way back when." Everyone chuckled at the remark. "It's no big deal. I'm fine with my sister being leader. I'm not sure I had great ambitions to begin with."

"I think a lot of Danny has rubbed off on you," Nala replied. "Too much, if you ask me."

Simba sighed. _This is a relief._ "I assume you want to know what's been going on back here."

"Well, it would be nice to be brought up to speed here," Tanabi said.

"Well, after you were sent down the waterfall, Zira and her clan attacked the rest of the pride. But Danny, the sentinels, and myself came in and made short work of them. We ended up banishing them to the Outlands, the borders of the Pride Lands. They've been there since, and only Kovu has come over. That just happened a few days ago."

"So then where's Danny? And the sentinels…where are they?" Tanabi asked.

Nala answered. "That's something completely out of our control." She knew this was going to take some explaining. "Before any of us were born, actually it was some time while your father and I were born. Danny went back to get his ship after he had crash-landed on the edge of the Pride Lands. That was when things got complicated. A being named Dasyu arrived with an army of …tanks, I think that was what Danny called them. Danny hid the ship, but was captured. Dasyu wanted the ship for some plan of his, but Danny refused to give in. He managed to escape and thought he had killed Dasyu in the process."

"'Thought' he killed Dasyu?" Tanabi asked, hoping he was going to get an answer to that.

"Well, only a few days ago, this Dasyu revealed himself to be alive. He came into the Pride Lands and took the sentinels' wives, Aziza, Shani, and Kula. He also took Ebere, Berhane, and…your grandmother."

Tanabi's mouth was agape. "He took grandma?"

Nala nodded, sadly. "I'm afraid so. Danny took the sentinels, his majordomo Haraka, Malka, the king from the Mountain Pride, and Jabari's youngest son Tupac. Zainabu also went with Danny. They're off to rescue them, but even Danny wasn't sure if they could pull it off."

"So Dasyu just did this all to lure Danny to him?"

"His ship, really," Simba responded. "But he probably does have a score to settle with Danny."

"Yeah, I'd do the same thing if someone tried to kill me," Tanabi responded. He smirked. "Of course, it's no surprise Zainabu went with Danny. I always thought there was something between the two of them, but never figured it out."

"If you ask me, I'd say it's that she's in love with Danny," Kiara said, gushing with affection.

"The question is, does Danny feel the same way?" That was Kovu who asked the question.

The bright expressions of everyone faded. "I think Danny does have feelings for her," Nala responded. "I just think he's looking at it from a realistic point of view. He's a man, she's a lioness. They aren't meant to be together like that."

"That's not fair though, Mom," Kiara said, sounding whiny.

Nala shrugged at her daughter. "Life is never completely fair, Kiara. You just have to deal with some things and jump over those hurdles."

Simba agreed. It was unfair for both Danny and Zainabu. Neither had compatible mates for their species here, but only Danny could compensate for that by leaving and heading back to his people. Zainabu couldn't do that. "Your mother's right, Kiara." He turned back to Tanabi. "But anyway, the latest news is that Kovu has come over from the Outsiders."

"That reminds me, why would Kula and Tojo side with Zira? That makes no sense." Tanabi sounded confused, but he didn't know what had happened.

"They didn't."

That didn't alleviate any confusion from Tanabi's face. "So then how did Kovu and Vitani end up with Zira? Tojo and Kula wouldn't just let her have them."

Everyone exchanged glances, mostly between him and Kovu. This was a very awkward moment, and it was going to come out sooner or later. Most knew the story of why Kovu and Vitani were taken from their parents. Most except for Kovu. He was completely still, his eyes making the only motion.

Simba closed his eyes and tried to word the story in his head as best as he could. "This was going to come to surface one way or the other, so here goes." He turned to face both his son and Kovu. He composed himself as he began the explanation. "While we were attacked by Zira, she had sent two lionesses to take Kovu and Vitani. None of us knew until after they had left. Danny, Tojo, and Kula caught up with her and the others, but they couldn't do anything."

Simba then looked directly at Kovu. "Zira threatened to kill both you and your sister if we tried to take you back. Danny was willing to fight to try to free you, but your mother didn't want to lose either of you, and agreed to let Zira have you both. That's why we never came to rescue you."

Kovu looked at Simba incredulously, but not in a mocking manner. "That's not true. Zira was my mother and my father was a rogue. Now, granted, she was not the best of mothers. That's why I left when I first had the chance. But how am I expected to believe that my _supposed _mother left me in the hands to be stuck with Zira?"

"Because your mother loves you," Nala responded. "She didn't want to lose you and would even sacrifice her life to save you, if she could. I know Kula very well. She would do anything to have you back here, but there was no possible way to rescue you. Danny could fight his way through, but then Zira would've killed you instead if he tried."

Kovu didn't know what to think. This was all so much to take. Part of him wanted to believe them. They had no real reason to lie to him, so it was hard to argue that point. But the other part of him was scared to. He was scared to admit that his whole life was raised on a lie, that his first few years in life were a waste. He didn't know what to think anymore, and now was not the best time to settle things.

He got up. "Okay, this is all a bit much for me to take. I need to go for a walk and try to clear my head right now. If you don't mind, I will be back later."

"I'll come with you," Kiara said, joyfully.

"I need to go for a walk _alone_, Kiara. No offense or anything, but I need some peace and quiet. I'll meet you at the waterhole by nightfall. Then, we can hang out some more. You should take this time to catch up with your brother; you guys have so much to catch up on, don't you?"

Even though she looked crestfallen, she understood and respected his decision. "Alright." Her tone suggested otherwise. She watched as Kovu took off into the fields for a long walk. She sighed. _I guess I better do some catching up with Tanabi._

* * *

Kovu walked for miles before he came to his known destination. The elephant graveyard, former home to the hyenas before they ran off, would always remain an eerie place. He had been here before. It was nothing new to him, but no matter how many times he came, that eerie look and uncomfortable feeling that came with it would never leave him. The graveyard was filled with bones and gas geysers, and it also held something else: a meeting place for the Outsiders whenever they needed to scout the lands.

For the most part, the kings never bothered to check the graveyard that much. That gave the Outsiders an advantage. They did have the cave, but Danny discovered it and destroyed it, and since he also searched the gorge on a daily basis, that place was out of the question as well. But the way things were going, the Outsiders wouldn't need any more hiding places.

That was what concerned Kovu the most. He didn't know if he even wanted to undertake his mission any longer. It was much better living in the Pride Lands, and with Dasyu around, they had much bigger concerns than petty conflicts with each other. But until anything changed, he would stick to his mission whether he wanted to or not.

He walked into the graveyard and came in between a triangle of elephant skulls. At first, there was silence. The sound of bones clacking against each other got Kovu's attention, and he turned to his left. He already knew who it was, so he didn't bother to guess. "Come on out, Vitani. You're not fooling me."

It was a few seconds before a lioness came out from behind the skull she was concealing herself with. Her lavender eyes gave her away easily. "Well, excusssee me for doing a little practice." Vitani closed the distance between them. "You can't blame me for being on my guard."

Kovu shrugged off her attitude. Her worth was in her performance in hunting and battle. "Well, anyways, let's just do what we have to do. I can't be gone for too long or they'll get suspicious."

Vitani nodded. "Alright, then. What's your report?"

"Well, I've been accepted into the pride and no one suspects anything so far. Probably, the only one is Simba, but I doubt he really cares right now."

"What do you mean?"

Kovu rolled his eyes, trying to think of how to word his next statement. "Um, how do I put this?" He waited a good few seconds before finally answering. "Simba's son, Tanabi, is back from the grave."

Vitani stared as if she couldn't believe what her ears just heard. "Excuse me, what?"

"Long story. It's just that I had a pretty good tussle with him, and I can vouch for his fighting skills personally. He's got an unconventional approach, but it works. He's now catching up with his family, so I have that time to come and give my report."

The lioness growled and paced back and forth. "This can't be. I thought Tanabi died of natural causes a long time ago. Where has he been all this time?"

"It seems he's been raising himself in a jungle for the last three years, and he's only come back today. So now, we have two male lions on our hands instead of just one. Zira is probably not going to like this."

"Darn right she's not gonna like this," Vitani reiterated. "Is there any other bad news you'd like me to inform Zira of?"

"No," Kovu responded quickly. He wasn't sure if he wanted to ask Vitani the question that had been on his mind for the majority of the day. She might be trusted with what he had on his mind, but she also might inform Zira and blow the whole thing. "Actually, there is something else I want to discuss with you."

He sat on his haunches and eyed her carefully. This was either going to be really good or really bad, depending on how much got through to her. "Vitani, you and I are brother-sister. So you would trust me, right?"

She looked confused, probably from not knowing where he was going with this, but she nodded.

"Would you keep something between the two of us and _just _the two of us?"

She slapped a paw on the ground, but not in an impatient manner. "Yes, I would. Where are you going with this?"

Kovu decided there was no point in beating around the bush. He just got to the point. "Have you ever considered that we maybe on the wrong side?"

Vitani's eyebrows shot up, but her confused expression remained the same. "What do you mean?"

He sighed. "Have you ever thought that the Outsiders might be the enemy? That Zira has been feeding us nothing but lies and her own agenda into us and that Scar was a power-hungry maniac?"

Vitani was stunned. "What! Why would you say something like that?"

"Because ever since I've been with the Pride Landers, it's been everything that Zira told us it wasn't. Danny and Simba are not undermining, opportunistic people trying to overtake the throne from Scar. They've actually been some of the kindest beings I've ever known, and they've told me a little about Scar. He's not the wise and kind king Zira says he is. I still don't have the full story, but that's where it's headed."

Vitani thought it over for a few minutes. For a moment, Kovu thought she might actually start coming to the same conclusion he was coming to. That moment didn't last long. "I don't believe that, Kovu. I mean, what else would you expect our enemy to say to you about Scar?"

"But you said it yourself. Zira was the one who told us Tanabi died of natural causes, and yet he stood before me and fought me today. He said that Zira and Nuka conspired to kill Tanabi, and Zira was the one who knocked him into the river in an attempt to kill him. What does that tell you about Zira?" He didn't even bother to acknowledge Zira as his mother. That situation was also becoming clouded.

Kovu was right, and Vitani knew it. She and Kovu were among the few who had the most hazed out view of the whole situation. The truth was being presented to her from Kovu, who was in behind enemy lines. This was about as 100% factual intelligence as she could get. Still, she didn't want to believe it. "I can't accept it. That means that everything we've been trained for, raised for, is a complete lie."

"I've been coming to the same conclusion, 'Tani. Besides, with what I've heard about this Dasyu figure, I'd say we've got more important things to worry about than a takeover."

"Who's Dasyu?"

"The one who took some of the Pride Landers away. Once he's taken care of Danny and the others, he will begin coming for the rest of us. Right now, our mission is a petty problem that should be put aside."

Vitani sighed. "So what should I tell Mother?"

"Just tell her that no one suspects and that Tanabi has returned. Her reaction will tell us if the mission has been compromised and blown out of the water."

"Fine then. I'll keep the side discussion we just had a secret…for now." Vitani left a little venom with the last two words. She began to turn and head back.

"There's also one more thing, Vitani."

"What's that?" She asked, her heated tone was matched with an equally intimidating expression.

"Nothing confirmed yet on this, but in addition to all the lies I'm beginning to uncover, I also think Zira may not be our mother."

With that, Kovu left a now distraught and confused Vitani behind. That last piece of information shook her to the core. Could it be true? Zira was not their mother, after all? She didn't know, and from everything she had just learned, Vitani was actually too scared to even want to know. If Zira was not her and Kovu's mother, then who was? She also wondered if she would find out who her father was. As far as she and Kovu knew, their father was a rogue whom they had never met.

Part of her was afraid, but her mind was screaming to get some answers. Deciding to side with her mind, she decided to turn tail and head to Pride Rock. She would stay hidden for as long as she could in hopes of getting some answers as soon as possible.

* * *

Kovu met up with Kiara and took a drink at the waterhole. After refreshing themselves, they headed off for the open fields. Kiara hunted down a lone warthog and the two had their meal for the day, even though it was late. Kovu was actually impressed that she learned from her mistakes rather quickly since he had been in the Pride Lands. Then again, the warthog was somewhat crippled, having no use of its rear, left leg. Nevertheless, Kiara carefully drew out her attack plan and ambushed the warthog in its weakest point: on the side with the crippled leg.

Nightfall set as they headed out into the fields. Both lions sat down, laying on their backs. Kiara then explained to Kovu what Danny had taught her about the stars when she was a cub. She explained that you could look at certain constellations and draw pictures of objects in your mind. It was kind of hard to explain rather than show, so she pointed out a few that she had picked out on her own.

Kovu eventually caught on, and was starting to enjoy himself again. That was another reason he didn't give Vitani about staying in the Pride Lands with Kiara and the others. He enjoyed it here; no training, no "drop and give me fifty" routine. Just fun, happiness, and love. Sure, there were rules, regulations, and duty. But they went hand in hand with the first traits. It was a whole, new world for him and it was only Day One.

Kiara pointed at one constellation. The distorted starlight even made some forms of objects rather than using the imagination. "Look at that one. It looks like a baby rabbit." She glanced at Kovu and tried to make sure he could see it. "See the fluffy tail?"

Kovu laughed. "Yeah…hey!" He pointed to a larger one. "That one looks like two lions killing each other for a scrap of meat." He laughed at the picture above him.

Kiara didn't. She was actually startled that Kovu would be amused by such violence. While it did worry her, she didn't read too much into it. After all, this was all he had ever known: kill or be killed. _Or maybe it's just a "guy" thing._

Kovu beamed. "I've never done this before."

Kiara looked over to him. "Really? My father and I did this all the time. He says…that the great kings of the past are up there, looking down on us."

Kovu's grin suddenly disappeared. That alone caused Kiara to become concerned. She was afraid she had touched a nerve, and Kovu's next question confirmed it. "Do you think Scar's up there?"

Her ears drooped and her expression saddened as Kovu got up and walked a few feet away from her. That was what had been really bothering him all day. For that matter, it started the other night when Danny had that one last talk before he took off with the sentinels. Scar seemed to be imprinted on Kovu, even though the two had never before met. Before, he wasn't sure what effect it would have on him. Now, he was starting to want no more part with him. He heard Kiara come closer to him. "He wasn't my father, but he was still…part of me."

Kiara came up next to him, keeping her voice a whisper. "My father said that…that there was a darkness in Scar that he couldn't escape from."

Kovu dropped his head even lower and closed his eyes. "Maybe there's a darkness in me too." He couldn't explain how, but that's what he felt was holding him back. From her, from Simba, from the entire pride. If he came forward with the plan, would they take his side? Or would they banish him? He was afraid that he wouldn't be able to escape the darkness of Scar that Zira put into him, and that was what bothered him ever since he had come here.

Suddenly, he felt Kiara's head come up underneath his chin. She rubbed her face gently against his, trying to give him some comfort. He took it gladly and returned it. They remained close together, unaware that another pair of eyes was watching the two of them from a discreet distance.

* * *

Simba watched his daughter move close to Kovu, showing him some affection. He closed his eyes. He didn't know what to think about the lion who befriended his daughter. Kovu hadn't done anything wrong, and thus had been proven innocent by judgment. However, it had only been a few days since his arrival. The last thing he wanted to have happen was to have a snake in the grass, waiting to strike. Simba was on a middle ground, with no solution to make a decision.

He looked up at the skies, examining the stars that gave some illumination with the moon. "Father, I am lost." That hardly defined how he felt at the moment. The king was downright confused. "Kovu is one of them…Scar's heir. How can I accept him?"

"Simba?"

Simba turned to see Nala and Tanabi walking up to him, wondering what he was doing. They approached him and Nala came up under his chin much similar to how Kiara was cuddling Kovu. Tanabi just sat next to them, and unlike Kopa, he was fine with them nuzzling each other. He would've a couple years ago, but not now.

Simba looked at Tanabi. "How was the rest of your day with the pride?"

Tanabi sighed and resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Absolutely hectic, but I guess that comes with a return from the grave. I'm not sure I'm liking little brother right now. Kopa is a little on the crazy side, but I'm gonna attribute that to him just being a cub." He glanced back in the direction of Pride Rock. "On another matter, the lionesses have been swarming around me, asking me thousands of questions. The younger ones are very…nice to me. I can't think of a better way to describe them, but I know there's another word for their behavior."

"They are being flirtatious with you, sweetheart," Nala said with a smile. She was happy to see a lot of the younger lionesses flirting with him. It made her feel glad to know that her son was getting a lot of double-takes. "It's something you'll have to get used to." She returned back to Simba. "What were you doing, love?"

Simba turned his attention back to the skies. "I was…seeking counsel from the kings of the past."

Nala suppressed a giggle. "Do they help?"

He sighed. "Silent as stars…my father would never-"

"Oh, Simba." Nala nudged her nose against his face. "You want so much to walk the path expected of you. Perhaps Kovu does not."

The last statement got Simba's attention. Did she believe Kovu did not want to follow Scar's paw prints and live up to be like the lion who terrorized the Pride Lands for three years? "What? How do you know that?"

Nala smiled. "Call it a mother's intuition. I can see them just as easily as you can. Get to know him and see. You just might be surprised at what he's really like."

Tanabi also smiled, but it was more of a smirk than anything. "I'm with mom on this one, dad. Kovu doesn't seem to be a serious problem. From what you've said about his story for leaving Zira when he had the chance, I'd say he's legit. He hasn't shown anything to make me suspect that he's a spy trying to undermine and overtake the kingdom from you."

"Then what do you suggest I do?"

Nala clawed the grass and dirt. "I'd say you should take Kovu for a walk with you, show him what it's like doing morning rounds, and explain to him about what Scar really was. He seems confused about the whole situation, and giving him our side might clear that up for him."

She placed her paw on his. "I know you've been on your guard for the last three years, but that was because you thought Tanabi was killed by Zira. But look," she pointed at their oldest son. "He's here now."

Simba considered it. It was definitely a good idea, no question about that. Another reason why it would be a good idea to do this was to gain Kiara's favor. He was still in hot water with her because of the hunt, and this would go a long way to smooth things over with his daughter. With a smile and a lick to Nala's cheek, he said, "Alright, then. I'll take him out first thing in the morning."

"Sounds good," Tanabi said. "Let's get going. I think the lovebirds would like some privacy to themselves."

* * *

Kovu sat there with Kiara, taking in the warmth of her breath against his mane. To him, this was absolute bliss. He was sure she had strong feelings for him, and it seemed to be progressing towards love. Kiara was a vision, made real and warm to comfort him in times like these. Powerful as that image was, a feeling of darkness eroded it. He realized that what they were doing, _he _was doing for himself. That wasn't right.

He broke off. Kiara seemed upset, feeling as though she had done something she shouldn't have. "What's wrong?"

Kovu walked away, turning his back to her. That feeling was beginning to get at him, and his dark expectations from the Outsiders was also starting to haunt him. Still, he didn't want to reveal anything just yet. He also didn't want to worry Kiara. "Nothing."

He hoped that Kiara would buy the ruse. But she didn't seem to be. "Kovu."

The soft, concerned voice of Kiara's tore at Kovu's heart. It hurt to hear that. He turned around and faced her. "It's just that my whole life I've been trained to-"

He stopped. He was going too far, and nearly revealing his mission too soon could've compromised him. "Nothing…I gotta go." Kovu turned and began to head back to the Pride Lands. The last thing he wanted was to blow his cover when he wasn't even sure where he stood on, and he didn't want to be near Kiara if she took things the wrong way.

"Kovu…wait." Kovu turned to look at Kiara when she called to him. He saw her sad, sympathetic expression. For a minute, it seemed as though her ruby eyes could look straight into his green ones. There was a moment where he felt that no matter what he said, she would stand by his side and accept him for who he was. Sadly, that moment lasted very shortly, as he closed his eyes and turned to head on back to Pride Rock.

Much to his surprise, he didn't even get a foot. As soon as he tried to take a step, a dark-furred hand shot up from the ground, pressing firmly against his nose. He had to lean his head back to get some comfort from the pressure. "And where are you going?"

Kovu hesitated. "Nuh…nowhere."

Suddenly, the owner of the hand jumped up from the tall grass. Kovu remembered him from up when he saved Kiara; he was the mandrill who loudly saved his skin. His smile was anything but sane. "Dat's wat you tink." He quickly ducked under the grass and burrowed his way through the grass.

Kovu watched the mandrill scurry underneath him and away. He was confused, not to mention shocked at who just talked to him. He looked back at Kiara. "Who was that?"

Kiara ran up to be beside him. "Uh…friend of the family," came the sheepish reply, with a matching smile.

Kovu heard some humming, and turned to see the mandrill sitting on his back, playing with his tail. Whoever he was, he sure was not who Kovu would define as mature. In fact, when he thought about it, this guy was the total opposite. He was completely crazy. The mandrill demonstrated that by getting off and tugging Kovu's tail. "C'mon! You follow Rafiki. He know da way. Ha ha ha!" He ran away in a maniacal manner.

Kovu frowned and looked at a grinning Kiara. "Way to where?"

It was Rafiki who answered, not Kiara. He was up on a rock, holding onto a vine attached to the tree below. "You follow, you see." He jumped off, swinging on the vine like Tarzan minus the scream. "Hurry now."

Kiara followed along, with Kovu in tow. He was a little unsure of this, and it took a little coaxing from Kiara to get him to move. "Kovu, come on." She was laughing, enjoying herself.

Kovu decided to play along and caught up with her. They had half their attention on the swinging Rafiki and the other half on the path they traveled. Rafiki swung around a corner, prompting the two to follow him. As they rounded the corner, the two lions were speechless at what they saw. Both Kovu and Kiara frowned, confused. "Where's he taking us?" Kovu asked.

The place was surreal, at least at this time of the day. Normally at night, things would be dark. But the place they were at was lit up, as if night never shined down on the place. Whatever it was called, it was beautiful. Flowers and fresh fruit decorated the trees and ground, and a small water channel fed through the land. It all seemed…peaceful, devoid of any problems and issues. It seemed as though a positive aura of some kind reverberated off of the place. Even the sky had some sort of aurora to it.

"I am taking you to a special place in your heart," Rafiki appeared above them and grabbed both of their heads, and turned them so that Kovu and Kiara were facing each other. "Called Upende." The lions smiled as Rafiki "encouraged" them in a kiss. It was going to be a very interesting night.

* * *

Nala watched as the evening conversations began at Pride Rock. The majority of the talk centered around the return of her son. Tanabi did his best to answer as many questions as he possibly could, but it was tough. He hadn't even been back for a day and he was already swamped with lionesses. It would be an interesting couple of days for her son, but he would adjust.

Nala walked by a few younger lionesses and overheard them talking about Tanabi and giggled when they saw the queen walking by them. She smiled. If things were normal, she probably would've done the same thing about Simba years ago. But this was Tanabi's turn, and she only wondered which lioness he would pick as a mate. It excited her to know that her two oldest children were finding opportunities at future mates.

Her thoughts were now focused on Danny and the rescue team. Mainly she was focused on two of the team members in particular: Danny and Mheetu.

Danny had always been there since she was born. It was a little odd that he still had the youthful age to him while she was now an adult. But that was how it was, what with the different life spans between humans and lions. She was concerned for him. Sarabi and Simba aside, Danny was the only one she looked up to. He had been a big role model for her, sharing stories that was still held between the two of them and looking after her when she needed it the most. If anything happened to him, she would probably never be the same again.

Mheetu was her childhood friend next to Simba. They had always played with each other whenever Simba was with his father and Danny was elsewhere. Mheetu was not as noble as he was now, which made things very interesting. Mheetu and her would always be conspiring against the others when it came to pranks, and like Danny, also shared certain secrets that didn't extend to many others. The only negative part of their life was the time spent away from each other during Scar's reign. They were close friends, and the absence of the other was clearly felt. Now, it was happening again to the two of them.

Nala walked out alone to the top of the promontory. She needed the time alone, and everyone respected that by not following her. Only Simba would follow her, but she had already told him she needed some time alone. As she watched the night sky, she could only wonder what was going on with her friends who had embarked on the journey to rescue the others from Dasyu. "May the Lord watch over you both. I only pray that He delivers you home safely."

* * *

Kovu and Kiara had a great time with Rafiki. He had helped them come forward with their feelings for each other, and now they both realized that the kiss during the rhino stampede was no accident. They were both in love and having a great time. Kovu was having such a good time that he was even singing.

Both of them remained close to each other, never being more than a few inches apart. They had to hand it to Rafiki: he knew how to play matchmaker.

Kiara had never felt so happy in her entire life. She knew she had feelings for Kovu, but she wasn't exactly sure if it was sympathy or love. Now, her feelings were clear: she loved Kovu. What made her even more jubilated was that Kovu loved her back. With no other males around aside from her brothers, it was easy for her father to blame it on a lack of options. But even if there were other males outside of family around, she still would've been with Kovu.

They reached the Pride Rock and walked up the slope to the cave. Both of them nuzzled each other with love, taking in the warmth from the other. "Goodnight," Kiara said.

"Goodnight," Kovu replied. The smile on Kiara's face absolutely warmed his heart. Of course, her smile disappeared as she looked over his shoulder. He looked back and realized she was looking at his normal sleeping spot: the rock at the base of the promontory arch. They both realized this was where they had to separate for the night. He was disappointed, but he would live. Kovu just shrugged and headed for the rock.

Kiara stared at him as he walked away. Kovu was the love of her life, and that was not going to change anytime soon. No one made her feel this way before, and every time she stared into those green eyes of his, her heart practically melted. She gave a loving sigh before entering the cave.

Right behind her, noticing the events that took place in front of the cave, was her father Simba. He watched how both of them spent much of their time together, enjoyed each other's company. Kiara had told him about the stampede about the rhinos, and while he was a little upset about Kiara putting herself in danger, he did find it amusing. _I probably would've done the same thing if I was in her position, and received the same treatment from my father that I give to her._

He thought about what Nala and Tanabi told him earlier. They both had good points; Kovu had yet to give anyone a bad reason to not trust him. Simba sighed, and walked over to Kovu. _I guess I should cut the kid a little slack_. As he got closer, he saw Kovu's head pop up to face him. Simba had a hard time thinking of the right words. He looked up at the sky. "It's…kinda cold tonight." He motioned his head toward the cave. "Come on inside."

Kovu's expression brightened. He immediately obeyed and followed Simba into the cave.

* * *

Vitani was watching everything from the cover of an acacia tree. After the meeting with Kovu, she decided to spend the rest of the day at Pride Rock, waiting for something to happen. She was about to leave when she saw Kovu and Kiara approaching the Pride Landers' home. They seemed to be very close, but she didn't think much of it. It was probably to stay warm, since it was beginning to get cold.

That was one thing she was really hating at the moment. If it was one constant in Africa, it was the cold temperatures in the night. Some seasons had warm nights during the year; this was not one of them.

She saw Simba approaching Kovu alone, and seemed to be talking to him. Then she saw Simba turn his back and Kovu followed behind him. Her excitement grew as Kovu had the prime chance to ambush and kill Simba. This was the moment she and all the other Outsiders had been waiting for, to take the Pride Lands back from Simba and Danny.

Her expression brightened as the excitement rose in her. "Get him." But as they kept walking, she noticed that Kovu did nothing to show any signs of attacking Simba. Her ears dropped as disappointment started to take the place of the excitement. "What are you waiting for, Kovu? Get him." She dropped her head to the ground, hoping that Kovu was just planning his attack out.

It never happened, as Kovu and Simba walked into the cave. Vitani then realized that what Kovu was talking about was not just mixed feelings, but a change in allegiance. He had now betrayed the Outsiders and became one of them: the enemy. She growled and took off for the borders.

One thing was for sure: Zira was not going to like this.

* * *

Vitani reached the termite mound, exhausted and out of breath. Even though she was the most fit aside from Zira, running from Pride Rock to the mound without breaking much stride was tiring. She had to take a few minutes to regain her breath. Thankfully, she had a few more minutes before Zira came to her. She was eagerly awaiting a report from Kovu, but Vitani knew she would wish she wasn't so eager after hearing it.

As Zira approached, Vitani immediately stood at attention, resting her haunches while remaining upright. "Mother."

Zira nodded, indicating for her to relax. "What took you so long? Everyone else reported in over two hours ago. I was beginning to wonder what happened to you."

"Had to stick around to gain some vital intelligence, Mother," was the reply Zira got from Vitani.

"Your report from Kovu? What do you have for me?"

Vitani braced herself. "I met up with Kovu at the geyser crevice. I have bad news."

"Has he been discovered?" Zira asked, menacingly.

"No, I'm afraid the news if worse than that. Much worse," Vitani replied. The tension in her was visible, even to Zira. "When I met up with him, he sounded different. He didn't seem confident at all. He seemed confused, unsure of the mission." Even though Kovu had betrayed them, Vitani still wouldn't reveal the personal conversation between Kovu and herself.

She also decided to withhold the information about Tanabi being alive. If she told Zira, she would definitely find out whether she was telling the truth or lying about the story with Tanabi. But then she would be forcing herself into an ultimatum: leave the Outsiders and join the Pride Landers, or live as a rogue lioness. She didn't want to make that decision just yet. "After we left, I decided to stick around Pride Rock to find out a little more on what was bothering him."

She sighed. "As everyone was turning in for the night, I noticed Kovu was sitting outside. Simba and Kovu were talking, and then they turned to head in to the cave. Simba had his back turned and was all alone. Kovu had the perfect opportunity, but he didn't kill Simba. I then put two and two together from our discussion. I believe he has sided with the Pride Landers."

At first, there was stunned silence. While it partially relieved Vitani, she still felt very uneasy about the silence. To her, that was even worse than venting emotions. "He's betrayed us?" It sounded more like a statement from Zira than a question. The others braced for Zira's reaction, which came seconds later. She roared loudly, causing the others to back up. Only Vitani remained where she was.

Zira shook her head. _Could she be wrong? The mind fabricates fear, so she could be misinterpreting things. _But she took that back. Vitani was thorough in her thinking, and wouldn't say anything if she wasn't sure. Zira leaned in close to Vitani's face. "You are sure?"

Vitani nodded. "Affirmative. I saw it with my own eyes."

Zira growled as she walked away to ponder these thoughts. Kovu, the cub she had trained for this vital mission, was backing out and allied himself with the enemy. When Danny and the sentinels left, it presented the perfect opportunity. Now, everything was beginning to fall apart. She needed to do some damage control, and fast. "Kovu cannot betray us."

Nuka, who was also listening in, saw this as the perfect opportunity to take his place as king. If he displayed wisdom and cunning, then he might just win over his mother's favor. He came forward. "I know a way we can stop him."

He now had Zira's full and undivided attention. She usually ignored his plans, but in this case, she was willing to make an exception. She slinked in his direction and smirked at him. "I'm listening."

**Again, reviews motivate me, so send some if you want one more chapter. Peace!**


	19. Moment of Truth

**Hey, everyone. It's Kurt Wylde, and I'm back in action. I'm sorry for the huge 3-month layoff, but I was at summer camp. It was a life-changing experience, and I learned a lot being there. Now, I'm back to finish my story, starting here. Enjoy!**

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* * *

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Danny woke up from his sleep. It was one of the few peaceful nights of sleep he had in the past few years, to which he was thankful. The nightmares that plagued him for the past few years had made something of an insomniac out of him. It was something he hated dearly, but this morning was different. He felt fully rested, fully energized, and it couldn't have come at a better time. He and the others had a big day ahead of them, and it wasn't going to be pretty.

He looked over to his right to see Zainabu sleeping soundly next to him on the bed. He smiled. It was surprising that both could fit on the bed, but it seemed to work out for the night. The others had slept on the floor.

Deciding it would be better not to wake them immediately, Danny got up and silently walked over to put on his clothes. Today, he opted for the multicam pants and the dark gray jacket and black t-shirt. His black boots finished the outfit. He walked into the cockpit and grabbed two items: his tape recorder and the necklace with his father's dog tags from his service in the military. He headed down the ramp of the _**Preliator **_and over to the clearing of the forest they were hiding in.

He sat down on a rock underneath an acacia tree and surveyed the land. It was mostly open plains, save for a few mountains scattered along the horizon. It was still dark, but the radiant light of the morning sun could already be seen. The sun was going to be up soon, and Danny wanted to watch it.

Danny looked down at his tape recorder. For the last seven years, it was the documentary of his life here. He had used up four tapes, and now was down to his last one. This one only had a little bit left. "Guess this is it," he said.

He turned on the recorder, and began. "Today's a big day for me, Dad. Hopefully, I'll see you again soon with Mom and Callie and Raechel. Then we can all head home. It's been so long since I last saw you guys; it's only memories that even help me remember your faces. I never thought that would happen in a million years."

"Dad, when I find you guys, I want us to head out and grab some ATV's and go off-roading in some muddy woods. Mom, a home cooked meal would be just fine with me, and some brownies as dessert. Raechel and Callie, we're gonna go and see a movie and just hang out wherever. We'll get some of our friends and just chill out, catch up on things, and be a family again."

Danny turned around to face the ship. Inside, was the hard part of leaving once he found his family: the family of lions he grew up with. Once he had rescued the pride, saved his family, and destroyed Dasyu, there would be no need for him to stay around. That would be hard saying those last goodbyes and leaving for good. "My family here has been more than supportive for me. They've watched me, given me a home, and taught me new things over the last seven years."

"I've learned much from them, but I believe it's time to close out this chapter of my life and open the next with you guys when I free you and we get back home." Bright, red light made him squint as he turned in the direction of the rising sun. Danny knew he was going up against bad odds today, but bad was the best he ever got these days. He stood. Remembering the dog tags that belonged to his father, he held them in front of his face. "I remember how much you told me about your time in the service, Dad. The stories, from the war stories to just simply goofing off on your downtime, they meant a lot to me."

He placed the tags around his neck. He had never earned the right to wear them before, but given what he had been through and what he had accomplished, he felt he earned it now. "Well, I gotta get going. I've a job to do, and I can't do it sitting here. I'll see you soon, Dad. I love you."

Danny stopped recording and headed back to the _**Preliator**_. Today was going to be a big day, but no matter what happened, he doubted everyone was going to come home alive.

* * *

Striker was getting anxious. For years, he had been waiting for a challenge. He had sparred and trained with nearly every member in Dasyu's service, and beaten them soundly. Now, with a relatively unknown but highly dangerous enemy on the way, he was looking forward to a challenge. The problem the robo-tiger was struggling with was patience. He couldn't do anything to accelerate the time, and could only wait for the human to make his approach.

He began flipping open the zippo lighter he had been carrying for so long, an obvious sign of his anxiety. It was something he had done a lot in the years being here. With nothing to do, he would flip the lighter open and closed to keep himself occupied. The Hyena Trio had moved into their staging area about 10 miles away from the stronghold, with a little fighter support for good measure. Because they hadn't heard from Boronas since the day before, Dasyu and Striker had reason for concern. They detected a radar ghost closer than where the battle between the human and Boronas took place, and since it was much smaller than Boronas' ship, they were sure that it was Danny.

Striker was very impressed. To defeat Boronas and his flagship had to have taken great skill and cunning wits. But when he discussed it with Dasyu, he was surprised that his leader acted as if it was to be expected out of the human. In spite of his confusion, Striker was pleased. The enemy was going to be a challenge this time. Originally, Dasyu was going to send out Malachi and Talon into the central staging area, but Striker requested that he go out. He wanted to meet this human, whether it was face to face or ship to ship, and do battle with him.

Xev walked up behind him. "Getting a little anxious there, Striker?"

Striker jerked his head, evident that he was on high alert, and then slowly turned to face her. "Who wouldn't be when they've waiting so long for a challenge?"

"Yeah, good point. After listening to the boss talking about how this human managed to destroy an entire drone-construct facility, I'm kinda looking forward to a good battle. Personally, I prefer a whole army to take on, but if this one man can do that sort of damage like our first facility, that's good enough for me."

"Me too," Striker replied. "But maybe this will keep us honest. The last thing we need is to get overconfident and underestimate this one man."

Xev arched an eyebrow. "Well, this doesn't sound like the Striker I know. You sound nervous."

The second-in-command of the Specters turned to face her. "You said it yourself that this one man destroyed an entire facility and wiped out over half of our forces. He almost managed to destroy our leader, but he managed to get out before the explosion. I'm not saying I'm afraid; I'm just being wary."

Xev shrugged. Striker did have a point in all of this; the human was not to be underestimated. The human didn't have enhanced abilities, but he did happen to be at the right place at the right time. The only thing that caught her off-guard was Striker's sudden cautiousness. He was generally a reckless and gutsy type of commander, rushing into battle head first and guns blazing. If he was actually being prudent about the human, she would probably need to do the same.

Suddenly, Striker felt his com-link buzz on his waist. He picked it up and thumbed the talk switch. "General Striker here. Go ahead."

"Sir, we've detected the enemy ship. It's closing in our position, eight miles away from us. Our next assault wave has picked it up and standing by. Your orders, sir?"

Striker smiled. _The time has come._ "Move to intercept. Their status is now green and mission is Crew Expendable." He turned to Xev. "It's time to get the popcorn and watch the show."

Xev fell in step beside him. "Who would you like to see win this battle?"

Striker smirked as they headed to the command tower. "Personally, I would like to see the human win. It'll give me a chance to battle him and give me some entertainment during this battle. If he loses, then that would be fine by me."

* * *

Danny checked his radar and armor. He was at full strength and had only detected radar signatures too far away to do anything at the moment. He knew Dasyu would send another force after him; the question was: when would it happen? Up ahead was a huge, open field, with the many rock pillars that stood scattered among the land. It would be a useful advantage to him, but just as well, it could be an excellent hiding spot for the enemy. Just beyond that was a river, and the only thing left between him and Dasyu's post was the thick forest and the open terrain beyond.

Danny's grip tightened on the flight stick. _There comes time for people to make a statement. Well, my time is now. _

He closed in on the pillars, just minutes away from them. Something felt very wrong, out of place. This wasn't just a gut feeling; this was due to experience from living out in Africa for seven years combined with his training when he was a teenager. The terrain was the perfect hiding place, the perfect place for an ambush. There were no radar contacts for over miles, but that didn't mean no one was in the area. That was slowly starting to kick Danny's senses and instincts into overdrive.

He gritted his teeth. "Dasyu's had plenty of time to send someone after me, so why haven't I seen anyone yet?" Danny shook his head and turned his neckband on. "Hey Tojo, Zee. How's everything? You good to go?"

"Not yet," Tojo responded. "But we will soon."

"We just need a little more time," Zainabu responded.

Danny growled, but there was nothing he could do. He had enough problems of his own, and couldn't set down to make sure they were ready. "Alright, guys. But hurry as fast as you can. I gotta feeling our welcoming committee is going to be here sooner than expected."

He began cruising in between the pillar formations, scoping out each corner, each crevice, each hiding spot in sight. So far, there were no enemy vehicles or infantry in sight yet. _Yet, there's no enemy sightings yet, _Danny thought. He could only hope that Zainabu and the others were making good use of their time.

Alarms started blaring, catching Danny's attention. The consoles were all functioning normally with solid lights lit up on the boards. That is, all except for one. Danny looked closely at the blinking light in the central console. Flashing in red,was the **SAM Lock** alarm. Someone on the ground had locked onto him.

Apparently, it went through his neckband, and Zainabu's voice came through. "What's going on, Danny? What's that noise?"

Danny's knuckles were now white with the grip he had on his stick. "Oh my God, I'm being targeted. Someone's got a lock on me." No sooner than he said that, a small red dot appeared on his battle radar. It was less than 300 yards away. "Crap, they fired. I'm scooping it and pulling out." He pulled out and watched the missile badly undershoot him and slam into a distant pillar. Danny pulled out, against his better judgment, and leveled out above the lower pillars.

Now, Danny knew someone was here, and it wasn't just whoever shot the missile at him. There had to be someone else here. But even up high, he couldn't spot anyone in sight or on radar. That didn't stop on him from actively scanning the area. Nothing but rock and sky could be seen. He narrowed his eyes. _Where are you? I know you're here._ Suddenly, a radar blip appeared on the screen. But this time, the radar contact was right in the center of the radar. Danny knew there was only rock below him, so how did this contact appear in the center of the radar?

An awful premonition hit him and he shoved the throttle forward. The _**Paratus Preliator **_just missed being crushed as another ship dropped right where it used to be. Had Danny not moved, he would've been crushed under the other ship. He swung around to face the attacking ship. It was a midnight black ship, and its look was intimidating. The two wings started out on the sides of the body, like a normal fighter. But the wings curved up and forward, finishing at a descent. The whole ship looked like a bird swooping in on its prey, with the cockpit extended out resembling the "head". Danny felt a shiver run down his spine. "Wow, that ship sure gives off an imposing look."

"I think the looks of the ship are the least of your problems, punk. You're a trespasser in our territory."

Danny cringed. _That voice… _In spite of the robotic tone, he knew that voice from somewhere. He knew it was while he was here in Africa, but he couldn't place it. It sounded like the speaker had a Hispanic heritage. _Who did that voice belong to? _One word caught his attention."Trespasser…who are you?"

"I'm the one and the same as before, hombre…" The screen crackled to life. At first, it was just static. But then, the monitor revealed a figure. It was a hyena, but it was no ordinary hyena. It looked like it had a humanoid build much like Boronas, except for the hyena form and eerie, green eyes. Danny recognized the hyena before he even said his name. "Bonzai!" He turned to reveal two similar hyenas, which Danny also recognized. "And you remember my amigos, Shenzei and Ed."

Shenzei smirked. "Long time no see, Skinny." That was something Danny remembered her and a few other hyenas calling him, and he hated that nickname with a passion. Ed, as usual, didn't talk. He just gave his same, maniacal laugh.

The man was shook his head, disbelieving. The Hyena Trio that he remembered all those years ago during Scar's reign…they were alive. They must've been among the hyenas that ran off after that fateful night where the pride took the lands back and defeated Scar. But Danny had no idea what had happened to them afterwards, and he had no fathomable way of comprehending how they turned into mechanical terrors. "It's not…possible. You were all pure hyenas. How did you get to be like…that?" He asked, pointing at each one of them and referring to their robotic forms.

Bonzai sneered. "He made us stronger, faster, and more ruthless too. And if you don't make it soon enough, he'll make your furry friends just like us."

Danny felt his blood boil. The sheer thought of Sarabi and the other lionesses being mutilated and changed into one of those transformers was not only disturbing, but angering. All of the shock and fear inside Danny was now gone, replaced by determination and ruthless aggression. "Enough talking, big shot. You want to dance? Let's dance."

"_Mira_, you think you can take us on?" Bonzai asked, sounding ready for battle.

The co-king of the Pride Lands growled, bearing his teeth. "You better believe it." He braced himself to do battle with these hyenas he called his old enemies. He was going to make sure it wouldn't be a laughing matter for the three of them. Suddenly he pointed at them on the screen. "Wait! What's that behind you?"

Sure enough, the three of them looked to see what was behind them. Danny could've laughed. They had fallen for such a simple gag, but this was the Hyena Trio, and they were known for being gullible fools. He took advantage of their gullibility and opened fire on their ship, loosing two missiles and firing the Vulcan cannons. The explosion of the two missiles momentarily blinded him. What he saw next left him awestruck.

The Trio's ship was still floating there, and looked as though it wasn't even scratched. The hyenas turned around and gave Danny their most wicked grins to date. Bonzai chuckled. "You're gonna have to try harder than that, and just to add some spice to this, we're gonna make the odds a little higher. Comprehende?"

Next thing Danny knew, red dots began materializing on the radar. Lots of them. Danny counted around thirty contacts and the one big one in front of him. He could see enemy fighters in his sight, lifting off from the hiding spots they were sitting in. Danny gulped. "Uh, I've got a problem, Tojo."

"He sure does," Shenzei said over the com.

Danny noticed bright blue orbs glowing on the tips of the wings and they were growing bigger. It didn't take a genius to figure out they were some sort of laser cannons. "Time to go." He aimed up and took off, gunning the engines and just managed to avoid scraping the pillar in front of him. The Hyena's ship turned around and begun the pursuit.

It wasn't long before the fighters began to open fire and pursue Danny and the _**Preliator**_. The database immediately scanned the enemy fighters. The name of the fighters were Blade-42's, or Blades for short. The fighter had wings that went straight out at a ninety degree angle, with the aft side of the wings starting wide at the body and angling in as they reached the tips. Two engines flanked the rear of the cockpit, with two stabilizer fins connecting the two. Two rudders stood on top of the engine nacelles. According to the readings, the Blade's speed could keep up with the **Preliator's**, and it sported two cannons, and seemed to be carrying ten-plus missiles.

Danny faced at least ten-to-one odds. This was going to be bad. Laser-fire flashed thick around him, with staccato flashes filling the skies. Already, Danny heard the missile lock warnings wail in the cockpit, soon followed by the high-pitched missile launch alarm. By instinct, he dove down throughout the pillars. While he did feel the hard impact of a missile slamming into his ship, the rest of them never touched, all slamming into the pillars and ground around him.

Two Blades decided to follow him closely. Danny noticed them on the rear camera screen. "I don't know who you are, but you're mine now." Danny kicked the speed up a little bit and swerved behind any pillar he could find. One advantage he had was the navigation system package he had installed on the ship. Eye in the Sky, as it was called, would shoot out a beam signal that usually would bounce off a satellite, but could bounce off of the ionosphere in an emergency. As far as Danny was concerned, this was an emergency. The signal bounced off and gave him a graphed display of the area and the pillars. With the Eye in the Sky, he could make moves without hesitation.

The Blades weren't so lucky. The lead Blade of the pair came in real close and went for a missile lock. The pilot soon got his lock and smiled. "Goodbye, human," he said over the com channel before firing.

The missile streaked in on Danny, but Danny saw it coming. As soon as he had the chance, he swerved right, behind the pillar and shielding himself from the missile. As soon as he was behind the first pillar, he swerved left behind the second pillar. The missile slammed into the pillar, creating a decently large fireball. "Goodbye, tin man."

The pilot was blinded by the explosion. As he rounded the corner, he came face to face with the pillar. The pilot barely managed a scream before his ship hit the second pillar, detonating on impact. The second pilot saw the explosion and tried to pull up, but was a split second too late. His starboard wing hit the top of the pillar and snapped off, sending the Blade into an unrecoverable spin. The pilot was able to eject before his ship hit the ground.

Danny let out a sigh of relief. _Two down, twenty-eight to go and one big ship to boot._ He couldn't keep this up forever, and he needed a big break. He returned to his second-in-command over the neckband. "Tojo, how much longer? I can't hold them off too much longer."

"We're just about ready. Give us about two minutes. We'll let you know when we're ready."

"Well, hurry up." An explosion shook the ship violently. "It's getting hotter than hell over here." He returned to his flying. His ship couldn't last in a dogfight. While he had strong armor and speed, the _**Preliator **_did not have the greatest maneuverability. Granted it could swerve and weave through the pillars, but it couldn't make tight turns. If Danny became isolated into a narrow canyon, he didn't have a prayer.

Danny decided to go for a huge gamble, and turned the ship around to face the enemy in the head-on approach. But against over two squadrons, and twenty-nine-to-one odds meant it was likely he'd end up being blown out of the sky. He sped up to meet the oncoming fighters.

* * *

Xev and Striker watched the fight take place. So far, the Hyenas made contact with the human and began to pursue him. As expected, the human took them into the pillar field. It was the single, defensive maneuver he was capable of. A ship that size couldn't beat their Blades in a dogfight. However, it seemed as though the human was flying too good, as though he were being helped. They continued to watch with excitement and anxiety.

They watched two Blades drop off the radar in the pillars. On the screen, they watched the first fighter hit the pillar and the second clip it with its wing. The other fighters continued to pursue, with the Hyena's ship in the rear. This was getting good, and the two generals watched the fight begin to escalate.

That escalation climbed another rung as they watched the last thing they expected to happen. The human turned his ship around to go head-to-head with the pursuit force. He began to pick up speed, closing the distance between their ships.

Xev furrowed her brows, confused. "What is he doing?"

"I think the head-to-head approach is kinda obvious," Striker said sarcastically.

Xev gave an sigh of annoyance. "I know that. But why would he do that? It's suicide."

Striker's eyebrows shot up, as he realized the strategy. He smiled. "No, it's smart. Dasyu wants the ship as intact as possible, and the human knows it. So he's going to be aggressive in this fight. This is going to be very amusing."

His female counterpart pointed a finger at the screen displaying the human's ship. "So how are we going to take him down without decorating the skies with debris?"

Striker held up a hand and gave her a confident smile. "Don't worry. We've got that under control." He produced a radio from his hip and spoke into it. "Bonzai, Shenzei, Ed. Let's give the human a taste of our mag-pulse missiles. Sound good?"

"That sounds good to us, sir. We'll bring it to him," came the excited reply from Shenzei.

Striker put the radio away. "Now, let's see how he works his way out of this one." The two generals continued to watch the fight, wondering what was going to happen next.

* * *

Danny picked up speed and closed the gap between him and the fighters. In any conventional battle, the head-on approach was suicide. This wasn't any conventional battle; it wasn't even _a_ conventional battle. He knew they wanted his ship, but they couldn't risk destroying it. He sneered. _If they want __**my**__ ship, they're gonna pay __**my**__ price to get it. _

He armed the missiles and checked his inventory. He was down to eight missiles and about five thousand rounds in the Vulcan cannons. He still had the experimental laser cannons, but they would be limited. Without gunners to man them, the cannons would be no different than a forward-mounted gun.

Locking on to one Blade, he launched the missile and tracked the next closest target. Another solid tone sounded, and he fired again. He managed to lock onto one more Blade and fired before having to switch over to the Vulcans. Three blips dropped off the radar as each missile connected to its target. Danny then proceeded to open fire. The 20mm rounds tore through the skies, and the hulls of a few Blades that were unfortunate to end up on the business end of the Vulcans. The Blades returned fire with their cannons, but that was like shooting a BB gun at a freight train. It did not stop Danny and it did not do much damage to his armor.

He plowed through the center of the group of fighters and made his way at the Hyena Trio's ship. Unlike the fighters, he was more on level ground with the huge black ship, so to speak. He was heading at them too fast to get a missile lock, so he switched over and fired blindly. He loosed six missiles at the ship, but the Hyenas launched their own missile. It was only one, but given the short distance between the two ships, there was no way either ship was going to avoid them.

Five of the missiles fired by Danny hit their marks, causing major damage to the opposing ship. The sixth soared underneath the black ship, which Danny finally realized was positively identified as the _**Black Fury**_. The damage to the _**Fury**_ was extensive. One of its engines burned out, and the readings indicated a breach in atmospheric pressure. To add insult to the injury, the steering vanes were all but gone. The ship's speed, maneuverability, and flight ceiling was now severely hampered. However, it's weapons systems were still fully operational.

However, the one missile the _**Fury **_fired at Danny did strike the _**Preliator**_. Whatever it was, it disabled the missile lock, radar sensors, Eye in the Sky, and missile lock warning. The ship's engine power was also down to 65%, robbing him of what little advantages he had left. And he knew the remaining Blades, by now, had turned around and closed in on him.

The damage control readout indicated the list of systems disabled and what was on the top of the list. Danny shifted the priorities list to take care of the radar, engine, and Eye in the Sky. Those were vital components, and he needed them up ASAP. He cursed and spoke through his neckband radio. "Tojo, I'm heading toward the location. I can't wait any longer."

"We're almost ready, but we should be good to go by the time you reach it."

Danny returned his focus to his flying. He headed through an open plain, to a narrow gorge with pillars flanking each side for quite a few miles. He swooped in low, with the remaining Blades closing in on his tail. Danny's radar finally came back to life, followed by the Eye in the Sky. The engines would take longer to fix. That was fine by him, because he was closing in on his point and the Blades were close enough to open fire.

Tojo came through on the radio. "Okay, we're good to go and clear."

Danny let out a sigh of relief. He continued down the gorge. The Blades began firing away at Danny, chipping away at his armor. Danny kept his nerves calm. _Wait…just wait…a little bit more…_

"Now! Blow it!" Tojo screamed through the radio.

Danny pulled out a detonator from his pocket and pressed the button. In the morning, he set down the others close enough to the pillars to avoid an active scan. He gave them ten pounds of C4 explosives and two hours to get in position. The plan was to set up the explosives on a few pillars and let Danny lead any airborne enemies into the gorge. The plan was working perfectly. All of the Blades were in the gorge and really close to the ship.

The C4 charges exploded, and the pillars began falling. The shockwaves from the explosion also caused a rockslide along the gorge edges. Unfortunately, the timing was a little too premature. The explosions sent bits of rocks and shrapnel everywhere and before Danny had passed. A few chunks hit Danny's cockpit canopy, shattering it. Danny fought his instincts to cover his face and flew underneath the falling pillars and pulled out.

The Blades all fell for the trap and had no room to move. Most of them slammed into the two falling pillars, while the remaining ones were claimed by the falling rocks from the rockslide. All of the fighters were destroyed.

Danny was now in a serious predicament. Even though he destroyed the nuisances, the Hyena's ship was still functional as were its weapons. _**Black Fury**_ was still a good distance away, so it gave him some time to think. With his canopy shattered, he couldn't hit high speeds without having the wind hammering at his face. His ship was not in condition to fight and the engines were starting to overheat from the damage. If he didn't set down and shut off the engines, they would explode, and he didn't want to be anywhere near that situation.

As he passed over the gorge, he noticed a fallen pillar that was stuck on an incline. An idea came to mind, causing him to smirk. It was crazy and it would require a sacrifice, but it could work. He set down in the plain about half a mile from the pillar. Thinking immediately, he shut down the engines and loosened the safety restraints. He got out of the cockpit and headed for the bay, slinging a few C4 charges and his shotgun on his back, and opening up the descent ram. Once armed, he headed for his speeder bike.

He sat down in it and gripped the controls. "You did a lot for me over the years. Now, we have one last mission together."

* * *

Bonzai closed on the last known position of the human's ship. Shenzei had left for the aft section of the _**Fury**_ to fix the problems and regulate the power regulations manually, allowing Bonzai to focus purely on piloting. Ed was waiting in the bay for a drop in case the battle had to be taken on foot. They suspected Danny might've landed after the mag pulse missile struck his ship, and if that happened, Ed would be sent to deal with the human as a distraction to draw Danny out, allowing them to eliminate him in the open and away from his ship.

They reached the gorge and began cruising to scan the area for anything suspicious. Bonzai kept an active eye for the ship, making sure nothing would slip past his eyes. "Come on, Danny. You're here somewhere." He smirked. "Marco…Polo…"

Shenzei's voice came over the intercom. "What is wrong with you, Bonzai? You got a screw loose upstairs?"

Bonzai growled. "Shut up, Shenzei. I don't need any comments from you, ese?" He heard Ed's maniacal laugh over the intercom. "You too, Ed."

A slight tremor was felt, and Bonzai gripped the controls tightly. "What was that?" It sounded like and explosion, and it also felt as though it hit the ship. But there was no other noise after that.

"I'm not sure," Shenzei replied. "Do you think Danny is trying to get our attention?"

"If he is, he's doing a good job." They waited for anything else to catch their attention. Bonzai kept his attention on the surroundings ahead, and soon, his eyes found a very familiar target. "I've found the ship." Thinking the explosion was cannon fire from the _**Preliator**_, Bonzai sped past the ship and turned around to face the ship. Bonzai turned the video screen, showing Ed. Bonzai shook his head. "Ed." Ed did not seem to be paying attention to him. Rather, he seemed to be goofing off.

"Ed!"

Ed snapping to attention and turned to face the screen. Bonzai sighed. "I'm gonna drop you off here. Head to the ship on foot and distract the human." Ed just gave him a salute. Bonzai rolled his eyes. _You'd think I'd be used to him by now._ He pulled the lever, and the bay dropped open. Ed landed on the ground and headed toward the ship, rifle in hand.

Bonzai lifted the ship off and circled around the ship. He wanted to give the best situation to apprehend the human, and the best approach was to get behind and let Ed draw him out. Hopefully, the human's ship would remain intact after all of this. Bonzai angled off and began his long arc around the target, making sure he would be a good distance away from the ship when Ed made his move. He came around and right behind the _**Preliator**_. As he waited for Ed, he decided to up the ante a little. "Shenzei, Ed is moving into place. Put all power to weapons."

Shenzei heard the command and grinned deviously. "You got it, Bonzai." She walked over to the control board and began working on the controls, setting up the weapons systems. She deactivated all shields and engines, diverting all of it to the weapons. She pressed a red button, and on top of the ship, a huge missile was lifted out of the hold of the ship. It was a little overkill, but they were just making sure that the job was finished right.

She diverted all but the repulsor systems, keeping the ship afloat but diverting all of the other available energy to the weapons. Outside, the cannons were glowing huge blue orbs. Shenzei pulled down the last of the toggle switches. "All power to…Aaahh!"

A small explosion blew a large hole in the hull. A few seconds later, the last person Shenzei wanted to see up close and dangerous now hung by one hand. Danny pointed at her. "Yo, fuzz face! I got a pair of party poppers with your name right on 'em." He laughed and pulled out two C4 charges. He tossed them at her and waved goodbye, but not before shouting, "Eat 'em and weep." The charges were beeping, but soon sped up and turned into one solid beep. Shenzei screamed before the explosion enveloped the room.

In the cockpit, Bonzai heard the explosion. He turned to see a huge surge of flame head his way. He gaped like a fish. "Oh, crap." Then the explosion overtook him as well.

* * *

Danny jumped as the explosion went off in the aft section of the ship. He knew this was high risk, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Danny drove his speeder bike over the inclined pillar and jumped off as he came over the _**Black Fury**_. He made it safely, but his speeder bike slammed into the gorge wall, meeting its demise in a fiery display. _At least it went out with a bang._

Now, he was in midair once again, only this time it was from another explosion. He landed on the edge of the missile that was set to fire on top of the ship. He got up on top and held on for dear life, because now the ship was losing power and heading for the ground. In the distance, he could see another hyena robot running away from the falling ship. Danny figured it must've been the third of the Hyena Trio, but he couldn't tell who it was.

He could care less; he had bigger problems to worry about. The ship was about to crash and he could only hope the missile or the ship, for that matter, didn't explode upon impact. He just held on and braced for impact. The impact happened sooner than expected, and Danny was nearly thrown off the missile. He managed to hold on and get a view of his surroundings.

He was next to the huge river, but still on the plains. He was going on a straight path, and it wasn't at an angle where he would go down into the river. Up front, he could see the other Hyena running away from the ship, which was still sliding on the ground. Danny also noticed that the ship was heading for a narrow crevice, and decided he needed to get off the train. He jumped off and landed on the ground. He rolled to go with the momentum and avoid breaking any bones.

Meanwhile, Ed was running into the crevice, hoping the crevice would stop the ship. As he started running through the crevice, he heard the ship smash. But when he glanced back, the ship still was coming sans the wings. Ed ran as fast as he could. He did not want to get run over by the smoking ship. Unfortunately, his hopes of avoiding the ship were dashed as he came up to a dead end. He turned around to see the ship get closer, but screeched to a halt about ten feet away.

Ed, at first, hesitating to do anything. He was afraid if he moved, the ship would explode and take him with it. But then, realizing the elation of not being crushed, he started laughing triumphantly. It was not going to crush him and he was going to walk out of there in one piece.

At least, so it seemed. The missile was still active, and was on a timer limit. That timer ceased, and the missile ignited and launched straight towards Ed. When Ed looked, all he could do was pop his eyes open and whimper.

Danny realized the missile launched and was going to send this part of Africa in orbit. There was only one way to escape, and he took it. He ran to the edge of the plain and jumped down the wall of sand to the river. Just as he went under, the missile exploded, sending huge shockwaves through the ground. Danny just kept sliding down and tried guiding himself. His back was taking a beating and getting scraped up from the sliding against the rocks and dirt.

He finally made it to the ground and fell onto his belly. He rolled over and looked up, only to see a bright light from the explosion and a huge cloud of dust casting over him. Danny brushed the dust of them. "Well, that wasn't so bad. It cost me the speeder bike, but it was worth it."

Danny turned, and then he saw it.

* * *

Tojo and the others saw the explosion in the distance. It was brilliant and almost blinding, causing them all to squint. They were sure Danny was on that ship, and if he was in-No, they didn't want to think that. They didn't want to lose their leader, but they might have to accept reality.

However, there were only two ways to be sure. Tojo spoke into his radio. "Danny, come in." No answer. "I repeat, Tojo to Danny. Come in." Nothing. Tojo turned worried eyes to the others. "Alright, we may have a problem here. We need to go over there and find out what happened and if Danny is still alive." He turned to their fastest member. "Haraka, scout and report. Go!"

"I'm gone." Haraka took off with blinding speed.

The others followed suit, with Chumvi and Zainabu a little further ahead of the others. Zainabu began to pray as she run. _Oh, God. Please don't let him be dead._

* * *

At the crevice with the wreckage, three figures dragged their way towards each other. All of them were blackened from the smoke, fire and the missile. Bonzai and Shenzei slumped over each other, both wondering what just happened. They were a total mess, but surprised they were still alive.

Bonzai coughed. "Did someone get the license number on that human? Because he needs to be parked for good."

"You said, Bonzai. I feel like I just got chewed up and spat out," Shenzei replied.

Ed crawled up to Bonzai. He was all charred and smoking from the missile that pounded him into rubble. He grabbed Bonzai by the collar. "Y-Y-You shot me in the face."

Bonzai sighed with exasperation. "Great. The first time Ed has spoken his entire life and he tells me I shot him in the face. What else could go wrong?" A noise above him caused all three to look up. A huge boulder was leaning over from atop one side of the crevice and was about to fall on top of them. Bonzai's expression was pitiful. "I had to ask."

The boulder fell down, and they all screamed before the boulder fell on top of them.

* * *

Striker and Xev watched the explosion on their screen. They also saw the human jump into the river, meaning he had a high probability of survival. Striker was clearly impressed. The human managed to destroy two and a half squadrons of Blades and the Hyenas' ship, the latter without his ship. He now fully understood why Dasyu never underestimated the human after the destruction of their first stronghold.

Xev, on the other hand, was trembling. She watched the whole thing, and wondered if this was what the human was capable of or if he was capable of more. She turned to Striker. "Sir, is he a man or a demon?"

Striker shrugged. "Not sure, but I am sure that he is beatable. Unlike us, he bleeds. If he bleeds, we can kill him." His radio buzzed and he brought it up to his mouth. "General Striker here."

"Striker," it was Dasyu. "Now do you see why he is not to be underestimated?"

"Yes, sir. He is quite capable of causing lots of chaos."

"It's a good thing we have an insurance policy if he breaches the base. I think it is time you move yourself into position. Don't you think, General?"

Striker smiled. "You don't have tell me twice, sir. I'm on my way."

"Good. And Striker?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Do not disappoint me."

Dasyu's voice left and edge, but just enough to leave the sting of insult out of it. Striker didn't feel nervous. "Not planning on it, sir." He put his radio away and placed a hand on Xev's shoulder. "Time to do our duty, Xev. You ready?"

Xev returned his grin with a malicious one of her own. "Leave some for me. I want to have some fun too."

* * *

Danny couldn't believe it. It had been years since the last time he had seen it. He had many awesome memories of when he was on it and showing it to his friends. Granted, he never owned it, but it still was something to show off to his buddies when he had some spare time. For years, he had been searching for it and now it was finally over. Danny thought he had searched all over for the thing, but always ended up on the short end of the stick.

Danny slowly moved toward the _Enigma_-class yacht his father had purchased so many years ago. Its hull had seen better days, as the gleaming white was now dulled and covered with black pockmarks all over the left side. Danny had no idea what had happened, but part of him was afraid to find out. Still, he needed answers to long-standing questions.

The yacht was leaning on the side alongshore, so he found it easy to hop onto the back dock. The dining room was the first place he was in. Danny managed a mirthless chuckle. His father always wanted to have meals right near the back dock, so they could all go swimming or tanning before or after a meal, depending on the situation. Danny remembered the comfort of his cabin and the view it gave. Sadly, those memories would stay memories.

He walked down to the engine room. As he walked down the stairs, he noticed a stale smell growing more powerful as he came closer. He couldn't put his finger on it, but it smelled vaguely familiar. When he reached the bottom, he noticed the entire engine room was black, covered in soot. He frowned. "What the heck?"

It made no sense to him. Why would the engine room be covered in soot? He couldn't quite come up with anything. Maybe the engine malfunctioned, maybe not. It might've explained the black patches on the outside of the boat. He took a step forward and kicked something with his boot.

It was his father's family video camera, and it looked to still be intact. Danny picked it up and tried to turn it on. The screen flashed on for a second before indicating the battery was low and going black. Danny turned it off and pulled out his flashlight. He new his light had the batteries he needed and replaced the dead ones. With the new batteries in, he powered up the camera. The tape was at the end, so he rewound and started from the beginning.

The first parts of the film was the family on the boat, on their way to Africa for their safari and having a good time. They were smiling, they were enjoying themselves. Of course, Danny was not present. He was still in flight school and couldn't go with them on their safari. They were supposed to link up with the guides deep in Africa to rent a jeep and go touring.

Danny decided to fast-forward the video. There was numerous shots going at full speed, and he needed his answers. "Come on…come on, let's hurr-wait a minute."

He rewound the tape and started it again. This time, the river was getting narrower, leaving them no room to move the huge yacht. A good distance ahead, right in their intended path, was a huge white light. Danny recalled a similar white light that sent him crashing here in the first place. He could hear his family screaming in the background.

His mother ran up to his dad, indicating it was one of his two sisters, Raechel or Callie, recording the film. "Dennis, we've got to turn the ship around!"

Dennis threw his arms up in the air. "What do you want me to do? The river's too narrow!"

The camera again faced the light. It was much closer now, and the family was at the point of hysteria. There was nothing they could do, but pray and hope they could come out alive. They couldn't jump out, as the river was too strong and it was most likely crocodile-infested waters. All four of them were trapped, and grouped together as the bow of the yacht entered the light. Soon, the light reached them and they all screamed as though they were going to die.

When the light cleared, the footage was still running, but the camera was on the ground. It shook as someone grabbed it and picked it up. The camera aimed at the rear of the boat, still showing the landscapes of Africa, but no white light could be seen. It was as though it was never there. But Danny's family knew that what they just passed through was no mirage. Raechel shook her head. "Are we there yet?"

Callie must've been the one holding the camera, because her voice was closest to the camera's audio receiver. "Well, we're not in Kansas."

They came around a bend in the river, where they saw the most unbelievable sight. In the distance was a huge mountain, only it wasn't a complete mountain. It didn't have a typical shape; the mountain looked as though it were being constructed. Numerous vehicles could be seen moving to and from the base of the mountain. However, even with the camera's zoom the vehicles couldn't be clearly identified.

Danny's mother, Gabrielle, spoke off the camera. "Honey, what are those vehicles doing? Why are they here?"

"Wish I could tell you the why part, baby." The camera shifted to face Dennis. He was looking through some binoculars. "They look like transport vehicles, but like no transport vehicles I've ever seen. The same with those flyers. I've never seen that class of vehicle before."

Danny knew exactly what they were, and who they belonged to. It was Dasyu's operation in Africa, and he was in the middle of constructing another base of operations. The family had seen it. But then, that narrowed the options down to three possible outcomes: either they saw it and got lost, leaving them to live out in Africa the last seven years, or they were discovered and captured, or…

He gasped. "Oh, God. Please don't let it happen."

Continuing to watch the video, Danny saw Raechel, his mother, and his father whip around to face the front. Danny didn't hear anything, but they certainly did. The camera turned to face the bank on the left side, where they saw the constructing mountain. They were looking further down the river, and Danny recognized it. It was the spot on the river where he was at currently. Whatever happened, he was about to get his answer.

"What was that?" Raechel asked.

No one answered her question. For a while, there was no noise, no movement. Everyone waiting in breathless anxiety, especially Danny. He wasn't sure what was going to happen.

Then movement came from above them. Jumping down were about two dozen transformer soldiers. On the shore, about ten more jumped on board. The girls screamed at the sight of these terrifying shock troopers. Danny's dad, being the strong soldier he was, began firing a heavy pistol which Danny recognized as the Desert Eagle pistol he always had at his side. One transformer fell to the fire, but that was the only one. Within seconds, the robots overtook him, knocking the pistol out of his hand. Callie backed up before a tiger-formed robot came up and swung its hand at her, before the camera went black.

Danny felt his heart stop for a second before the film resumed. Now the location was the engine room he was in right now. A few robots were in there, binding the four members of Danny's family to the wall. The tiger robot was talking to another one, a lion. He spoke with a British accent. "The turbines are rigged to fill this place with fire. The walls are flame-retardant, so it should isolate the room. We'll leave the camera for someone to find to let them know we mean business, and hold the utmost secrecy."

"Sounds good, Striker. I spoke to Dasyu about these humans on what to do with them. He says to take care of them in the usual way."

Danny felt an awful premonition at the lion's last words, and every part of his body knew what was coming next. He stopped the film. He didn't want to see what was going to happen. He knew they were going to kill his family. For the first time in what seemed like years, he was afraid. He was too afraid to see the events on the camera that would unfold in front of him. But he needed confirmed answers, and forced himself to resume playing the film.

He turned it back on and watched. All of the robots cleared out of the room, leaving the family struggling to free themselves. They were gagged, so their screaming and grunting was muffled. Danny focused on the transformer named Striker as he came to face the camera. "This is how it begins, and this is how it will end." He walked out of the camera's sight, and out of the room. The door was shut, but the glass viewport gave the camera a good view of the engine room.

Then a voice sounded in the background, more than loud enough to be heard on the camera. _"Turbines primed. Warning, turbine coolant system off-line. Shut down turbines immediately." _A pause temporarily halted the audio. _"Turbine fire-off in ten seconds…nine seconds…"_

Callie and Raechel were frantic, desperately trying to free themselves, but to no avail. The binds were too strong. They cried their eyes out, hoping for a miracle. Danny's mother Gabrielle was no better off, crying but not struggling. Danny's father Dennis, however, did not cry nor did he struggle. He seemed resigned, as if he were simply accepting the situation. They were going to die and there was nothing they could do about it. Dennis just simply looked at the camera, his eyes almost seemed to have a pleading look.

Danny watched painfully, feeling the tears well up in his eyes. _Please let there be a malfunction. Please let there be a malfunction, Lord._ He stared at his family, but mainly on his father. He was hoping for as much a miracle as they were.

The simple tone of the computer kept counting down. _"…eight seconds…seven seconds…six seconds…five seconds…four seconds…"_

Danny looked into the eyes of his father. His father, even though Danny wasn't there, seemed to be looking straight at him as if he was there. It seemed as though time were slowing down to Danny, just to get a glimpse of the father he hadn't seen in seven years. To commit him to memory, since he had very few pictures of his family. Pictures were a thousand words, but memories were priceless.

"…_three seconds…two seconds…one second…turbines firing."_

A rumble shook the camera as Danny, oldest of three children and the only son, watched his father before flames enveloped the entire screen and his family.

* * *

Tojo and the others managed to reach the edge of the plain, and looked down. They could see the river down below, and something they had never seen before. It was huge and white, save for the multiple black spots that were peppered on the left side. It was on the shore and didn't look like it was moving. Tojo could smell Danny's scent near the edge of the plains, but it ended there. They were hoping Haraka could find something positive.

Haraka was already down at the bottom, scoping it out. He was about fifty feet away from the white beast. He waved them down, indicating that Danny was down there.

Tojo smiled and sighed in relief. "Alright, he's down there. Let's get sliding."

Zainabu was way ahead of the others as she slid down the slope, with the other lions in tow. Some of them were having trouble, but others made it down without a hitch. They regained their balance and slid to a stop at the bottom. All of them went to Haraka, who was sniffing the ground, trying to locate the direction of Danny's scent.

Tojo ran up to him. "Did you find anything, Spots?"

Haraka lifted his head up. "Yes, I've found his scent and it's strong…wait! There he is!" Haraka pointed with his paw.

Danny was coming out the front of the white structure, nearing the edge. The others ran to him, overjoyed that Danny was still alive. But when they got there, Zainabu wondered if he was alive from the look on his face. He seemed to be walking as if he were in a trance, oblivious to anything in his way.

Tojo didn't notice, at first. "Hey, Danny! How did you survive that trip? Danny? Danny? Danny, what's wrong? Danny!"

But Danny didn't hear him. He didn't hear anyone. It didn't even register into his mind that his friends were asking him if he was alright. His world had come crashing down on him. He had finally gotten his answer confirmed, his entire mission, his entire purpose in even coming here. It took him seven years and it finally came down to this moment.

His family was dead, burned alive. That dream he had where he had talked to his father from behind a metal fence before a wall of flame overtaking him and his father…it now made perfect sense. It was something that had already happened. He knew that was the likely outcome, he just didn't want to accept it. Danny now had no mother, no father, no younger sisters…no one anymore. They were gone and were not coming back. He was now alone.

Danny continued walking in a trance, with the others walking with him. They were shouting at him, trying to get his attention, but to no avail. He was oblivious to the whole world, because his world was now in shambles. He stopped, and slowly turned around to face the ship. That ship was now the cemetery for his family, and would be there forever.

The emotions all hit him in one, gargantuan wave as he finally showed emotion on his face. Emotion of pain, loneliness, despair, and extreme sadness. He dropped to his knees and cried to no end as he buried his face in the sand. He wanted it to be nothing more than a nightmare ever since he had first come here. Now, reality set in as he was now without a family and with nowhere to go. He cried louder and louder, repeating the names of his family. "Dad…Rae, Callie, M-Mom…no, no, NOOO!"

The others finally realized what was the matter with him. He had lost his family, and that was a horrible thing to have happen to someone. The males all bowed their heads low with respect and shared sadness for their king and friend. Zainabu tried to comfort him by getting close to him, nuzzling him and licking his head to try to help with the grief. "Danny, I'm so sorry this happened to you. I wish I could do something about it for you."

Danny lifted himself up and wrapped his arms around her neck, holding her in a tight embrace. She was always there for him, through thick and thin. Zainabu would always laugh with him in the good times, and comfort him in the bad. He couldn't tell her how much that meant to him. But especially her patience and willingness to wait for Danny to open up to her on certain issues. He wasn't always the one to show his true feelings, but as a king, he couldn't.

He cried until he opened his eyes. When he did, his crying eased up and his sobbing stopped, as he zeroed in on one object in the distance. It was barely seen behind a thick, forested wood. A flashback of the camera helped him out what it was. It was the mountain his family saw from the river, where they could see transports and flyers. It was Dasyu's stronghold.

Finally, he had made it to the location where Sarabi and the others were being held. Danny still knew his mission, but between the footage of his family's immolation and knowing where Dasyu was at, he had another objective added to his mission. A cold, emotionless objective that Danny was going to see fit to carry it out, no matter what it took.

* * *

Dasyu watched the footage of the battle between Danny and the Hyena Trio. When the human first destroyed his drone facility seven years ago, he was furious. But despite that, Dasyu was impressed that this one man could do so much destruction. The last two battle footages with the man against Boronas and the Hyenas' had shown Dasyu that his enemy was also capable of doing it methodically, and improvising against lopsided odds.

Dasyu knew he and his generals would be challenged in some way, shape or form. But in all his existence, he never thought it would come in the form of one, single man. Striker was on his way to his position while Talon, Malachi, and Xev would remain waiting for the human if he made it past Striker's battalion.

But he had fairly good confidence the human would find a way past them, and while that would be more entertainment for him, it would have to end soon. Business had to have a place before entertainment. Dasyu knew that if he gave too much room for Danny to run, he could end up being more trouble than fun.

He smiled as he watched the footage again. "Well, I underestimated the enemy. What shall we do, Danny? Whatever shall we do?"

* * *

Danny and the others headed back to the ship. Danny didn't talk to anyone, not even Zainabu. A piece of him had died with the footage he saw on that camera, and it showed immediately. The others waited until he came out with his equipment. He carried his old M60 and the M107 Barrett .50 cal sniper rifle. He loaded all the ammo he had and placed a backpack filled with C4 charges on his back. It was heavy, but he could handle it. He slung the M107 over his shoulder and holstered his pistol. Then he slung his shotgun over his shoulder.

The others just simply watched him. Tojo and Tupac were the exceptions. They kept watch for anything suspicious. After the huge fight that had taken place, there was no chance it was not noticed by the enemy. Zainabu looked the most concerned. Not because of the danger ahead, but because of the change in Danny. She wasn't sure if it really was him, but she definitely knew something in him was different, and she wasn't sure if she would like it.

Danny reached down and grabbed his M60, hefting it up. He pulled the last object on the ground, which was the ammo box for the M60. He looked at all of his friends, his family. The only family he had left. He didn't say anything; he just gave them a simple nod.

Tojo finally broke the silence after sniffing the air and looking around. "It's not safe here anymore. We need to keep going."

Danny took out his remote and activated the Iron Curtain System, rendering the _**Preliator **_invisible. "No, you go." Danny slid the box in and pulled the belt across the weapon's feeder tray. He set the belt down and slapped the cover shut. He looked down and sighed. "Dasyu…"

Tojo leaned in closer. "What?"

Danny didn't move for a few moments. Then he looked up at them. His eyes were filled with weariness, grief, and ice cold anger. They all wanted to know what was going on, and what he planned to do. _They want to know, then I'll tell them._ "He killed my family, because they discovered his operation here…" He pointed in the direction of the stronghold. "…and I know where it is. I'm gonna find the lionesses and free them. Then I'm gonna find Dasyu, and I'm gonna get him, so that they didn't die for no reason." He pulled the action back, ready to fire.

This was the point of no return. Danny knew what he had to do, and he didn't want anyone getting mixed into it. He walked over to the lions, particularly Tojo, Malka, and Zainabu. Danny stood next to the three of them, looking at each one of them in the eyes, like he was trying to get one last glimpse of them. He patted Tojo's shoulder. "Don't follow me." He began walking away, toward Dasyu's stronghold. "It's safer here."

The others watched Danny walk away, not saying or doing anything to stop him. It wouldn't have done much good. Danny's mind was set, and nothing was going to deter him. Tojo looked behind and to the left, before walking away to the right, where the forest was located at. Even though the situation was bleak, things remained the same. They still had their mission, and Danny was about to do his.

* * *

**There you go everyone. Danny has finally found his answers. Sadly, this was the way it was for him. Now, what's he gonna do knowing that Dasyu was responsible for killing his family? Guess you'll have to wait until next chapter.**


	20. One Shot, One Kill

**Hey, everybody. Sorry I took so long to get back to this. I'm working on the next chapter, so it's going to be out fairly soon. Hope you enjoy. It's a little shorter than the last few chapters, so I hope it will be good enough for you.**

Zainabu continued with the others as they made their way to the forest. She was shocked at what she saw in Danny. Gone, it seemed, was the sensitive and caring man she knew, replaced by a cold and determined warrior. Part of her sympathized, since he had just found out his family was all murdered at Dasyu's hands. Nevertheless, it still scared her to see this new form of Danny. Her heart ached when she saw the emptiness and pain in his face, and she wished she could turn back time for him.

It was not fair for one to lose their family, but that was life. It seldom was fair, and she was no exception. She had never mated with a rogue like the other lionesses or was betrothed to a king like Nala was with Simba. She never had any cubs, and at ten years of age, it seemed unlikely to happen. It was not that she wasn't an attractive lion. On the contrary, she was very beautiful. But most of the lions were younger than her, and Mufasa suddenly died by Scar, who she wanted no business with at all.

But Danny showed up in her life, and it was different. He had brought her sensitivity, humor, and loving kindness. Unfortunately, it brought her even more realization that life wasn't fair. He was a human and she was a lioness. They could never share a bond past friendship, and that left her more saddened.

She shook it off as Tojo turned to brief them. She needed to focus on the mission at hand.

The head sentinel sat on his haunches, and everyone else followed suit. Even though he was known for his cocky, charming attitude, Tojo knew when to get serious. This was one of those times. "I know Malka technically does outrank me because of his status as king, but Danny put me in charge of this group."

Malka shrugged. "No offense taken, Tojo. You're the boss."

"With that, we know Danny told us not to follow him from this point on. But some of us are not leaving without our mates."

"You got that right," Mheetu said, determined as ever. "No way I'm leaving without my Shani."

"Not to mention our mothers are in there as well," Chumvi added in. "What's your strategy in attacking?"

Tojo sighed. "We stick to the plan. We wait until Danny begins to attack. When we make our presence noticed, we will retreat and play our game with them. Once we have them taken care of, we'll move in towards the mountain to buy Danny more time to find the lionesses. In the event that things go sour, we'll meet back here."

Tupac nodded. "Sounds pretty straightforward. But to better confuse the enemy, I think we should travel in pairs. That way, it'll be harder for them to focus on any one of us."

"There's just one problem with that," Zainabu said, raising a paw. "There's seven of us. Someone's gonna be the odd one out."

"I'll go it alone," Haraka volunteered, but with a smirk on his face. "You lions would be slowing me down. I can cause a distraction to get their attention with my speed."

Tojo ignored the king cheetah's jibe, but took the advice. "Alright, you're riding solo, Haraka. Mheetu, you're with me. Malka and Tupac will be another pair, and Chumvi and Zainabu will be another. Since you're the fastest lion, Chumvi, it would be best if you go with Zainabu to be able to match her speed. We'll all be communicating through the custom headsets Danny made us."

"Yeah, I'm hearing Haraka through my left ear. That's half-good and half-bad," Malka said, chuckling.

Tojo stood. "We don't have much time, so let's move out."

"I want a pay raise after this," was Haraka's only response.

* * *

Danny moved through the small brush in his path. He needed to get to the conveyor belt as soon as he could. He would need to get the attention of the enemy and draw as many of the ground forces as possible. If any Blades showed up, he was in big trouble. Even though his M107 sniper rifle carried .50 caliber rounds of ammunition, they would be moving too fast for him to take them all. He might take on one or two flying in a predicable path, but that was pushing it.

However, that paled in comparison to the life-changing fact he had found out thirty minutes ago. Danny's family was dead, torched alive inside the yacht his father bought for ocean-crossing trips. Danny fought back the tears that threatened to roll down his cheeks. He finally completed the purpose of his being here in this alternate dimension of Africa, but he wasn't going to leave without destroying Dasyu and his operation.

Only this time, he wouldn't be leaving unless Dasyu was nothing but spare parts. Danny growled. _Dasyu, I'm going to tear you apart. Limb by limb, bolt by bolt._

Part of him wished he didn't send the others away. He didn't want to lose anyone else, but it meant losing the greatest chance of a prolonged distraction. He could fool them for a little while, but he couldn't keep it up forever.

He jumped over a log and almost lost balance coming down. It was not surprising, since he was carrying a huge array of weapons. From his M107, to his M60, to his M1014 "Big Gauge", to his pistol, he was packing. He also carried three C4 charges. They might come in handy, but he would have to use them sparingly.

The plan was to cause the distraction with the sniper, and then once he was going to move inside the conveyor belt, he would ditch the sniper rifle. It wouldn't do much good in close quarters. That's where the M1014 would come in. If he had to, the M60 would be his solution for the numerous enemies. He carried no grenades, so he'd be searching on any bodies he would come across.

Danny climbed his way up over the hill to see Dasyu's stronghold in the distance. He looked down and noticed the conveyor belt was at the bottom of the slope, the same one he was shooting for and he could see it headed straight for Dasyu's stronghold. "There's my entrance."

He jumped off the edge he was standing at and skidded down the slope, trying his best to keep balanced. Clouds of dust sprouted up from where his feet slid along the slope. Danny jumped up when he was only a few feet from the bottom to have a more balanced landing than skidding to the bottom and having to compensate for all the extra weight on him. Fortunately, he landed on his feet and didn't fall and have to roll.

Danny immediately took off all of his weapons and ammunition with the exception of the M107 and its ammunition. He never had a chance, or really any reason for that matter, to use the sniper rifle. He vowed never to use it on the animals of the kingdom, except for larger prey or tough predators like the crocodiles. Now was his perfect opportunity to get a feel for the sniper rifle he kept for so long, but never used.

The man set his gear next to the conveyor belt and took a sip of his water. He would need it for the upcoming battle, and in Africa, everyone needed water. Grabbing his monocular, he began climbing up the other slide of the slope. Danny reached the top and surveyed the area with his monocular.

For the most part, there was nothing but open fields. It was truly a No Man's land. The only cover was the forest off to his right a little ways. At a glance, he didn't see anyone over there. But upon closer inspection, he caught sight of some camps, and the inhabitants of those camps.

It was seven years, but Danny still remembered the robotic forms of Dasyu's soldiers. To him, they looked like they all sported the Spartan MJOLNIR armor. There were numerous ground vehicles scattered around the woods in a close vicinity of each other, but wouldn't be able to do much good in the thick forest they were in. But one vehicle stuck out to Danny, and it was in the middle of the entire strike force. A huge tanker vehicle was parked next to a huge, uprooted tree and was covered with grass, shrubs, and anything else that would suffice as camouflage.

However, it wasn't covered enough to hide it from Danny's eye. From the look of things, the tanker wasn't going anywhere. Danny smirked. _And if I have anything to say about it, that tanker never will._

He aimed at the stronghold to get a better observation of the place. The big hangar was among the most obvious objects to spot. A few glass viewports spread out among various parts of the rugged pillar of a mountain. A huge observation spire stuck out from the middle of the mountain and ascended way above the mountain tip. Danny figured Dasyu would most likely be watching from way above to get a good view. At this range plus the height of the tall structure, his chances of hitting anything with accuracy were slim, but he fared a better chance at the objects along the base of the mountain.

Around the hangar were a few refueling stations that could do some great damage if said human were to use the rifle as a fireworks igniter. Even with the great distance, Danny could clearly see some robots in unique uniforms, giving away their identities as some sort of officers. He made a mental note to take out a few to make sure that some of them would fall to his sniper fire. But also another thing that would give him a great advantage was the huge radar dish and antennae. Both were adjacent to the observation spire, beginning at the base and running parallel with it, though only reaching up to halfway on the spire.

If he could take out both, he would take out the majority, if not all of Dasyu's communication. That alone would cause great confusion, but the explosions would only enhance that. Danny set up the bipods on the sniper rifle to prop it up from the ground. "That should be more than enough to get me in unnoticed."

He decided to take out the most dangerous enemy first, and that would be the closest. His first job would be to hit the tanker, and then focus on destroying the radar and antennae. The refueling stations at the base of the mountain would be tertiary targets, and then he would climb into the conveyor belt. He just hoped he could do it all in a few minutes' time.

Danny pulled the sniper rifle up tight to his shoulder. He had heard stories of the M107 breaking collarbones if it wasn't held on tightly, and he didn't want to take any chances of injury like that. He gripped the rifle and began to form a rhythmic breathing cycle. "Guess it's time for the lone wolf to begin the hunt."

Then he heard the last voice he expected to hear through his headset. "Not without us, you don't."

Danny loosened the grip of his rifle as he lost his breathing rhythm. "Zee, I thought I told you guys to get out of here."

It was Tojo who answered him. "I guess we're not as good at taking orders as you thought. It's not like we're gonna let you have all the fun."

"Brothers always stick together, Danny. I don't plan on breaking that now," was Malka's reassuring statement.

This wasn't what Danny wanted. He knew what was at stake, but it was too high. He didn't want to risk losing them, considering he already lost enough. "Guys, this is a near suicide mission. Dasyu killed my family, and I'm going in there to free Sarabi and the others. Once that's done, I'm going after Dasyu and I'm gonna kill him. I plan on going in there, but not on coming out. Anyone who comes with me will probably end up dead."

"There's nothing you can say that will make us turn back, Danny," came Mheetu's voice. "You might as well accept it."

That took Danny aback. It sounded as though Mheetu wasn't negotiating or reasoning at all, but telling Danny there minds were set. But he had a point. There was nothing he could do to stop them. He sighed. "I'm guessing there's nothing I can do to change your minds?"

"Are you kidding?" Tojo asked, amazed he'd even ask that.

Danny nodded. "Alright, guys. You win. Where are you now?"

"We're in the forests, making our way towards the camp. Their scent is easy to pick out. I think-wait, we see some of them."

Grabbing his sniper rifle, Danny brought his sights on the tanker. "Alright, wait for me to take the shot. I recommend you find some cover. It's going to go flying in all directions." He slowly positioned his sights on the tanker, centering the brackets on the huge fuel tank in tow. He waited for a minute to give the others a chance to get to cover. _Say goodnight, Gracie._ Danny slowly placed his finger on the trigger, and began to squeeze…

"Hey! Who are you? What are you doing?"

Danny whipped his head around to see a soldier standing behind him. He was carrying a huge rock, probably for the conveyor belt to take. Adrenaline pumped through Danny as the soldier realized he was an attacker, and began to lift the rock to drop on Danny. The human pulled out his pistol and shot the robot three times in the chest. The robot shrieked in pain before falling to the ground.

That was Danny's only chance for surprise. The pistol's shots had to be heard from the camp, and most likely they were aware of his presence. Danny cursed and brought his rifle up to bear. Sure enough, the strike force was alerted to the gunshots and were beginning to mobilize. Trying to rectify the mistake he made, Danny quickly aimed for the tanker, centered his sights on the tank itself, and fired.

The air was filled with the sound of a huge explosion, as the 12.7x99mm round punched through the tanker and set off the chain reaction. The explosion took out anything within thirty feet and managed to kill at least forty of Dasyu's men. The forest was beginning to start ablaze as the explosions created a wildfire in the forest. Everything was chaos for the strike force and anyone around.

Danny spoke into his headset. "Okay, Tojo. They're up for grabs. Take 'em."

Over the earpiece, Tojo's voice came crackling in. "Got it. Mheetu, let's move."

Danny focused his attention back on the stronghold. He relocated the antennae and radar running up next to the observation tower. He decided to take the antennae first. He centered his sights in on the antennae and checked for wind variations to compensate. The wind was blowing slightly to the left, so he shifted his sights to the right a little. Danny let out half of his breath, aimed the rifle, and slowly squeezed the trigger.

The shot rocketed toward the antennae, but the shot ended up going a little too far to the right. It struck the mountain, doing no damage at all. "Guess I compensated a little too much." He aimed again, this time he didn't shift as far and tried a second shot. This shot did find its target, and the closest leg holding the antennae up snapped. Danny aimed for the opposite leg and fired again. The round snapped the other leg, leaving the antennae unbalanced.

The antennae tower began falling over. Even at the distance he was at Danny, could clearly hear the metal groaning as the two remaining legs could not hold up the weight left unsupported by Danny's precision shots. The antennae toppled over and crashed into the ground, nothing but a heap of metal now. Dasyu's communications systems was toast.

Danny now had to make sure the enemy's eyes were weakened a little as well, and aimed up at the radar dish. Since it was connected by a small joint on the tower it stood on, it was a much easier target to take down. Danny aimed the M107 once again, and opened fire on the radar. The huge sniper rifle cracked its report as the first shot missed, but the second and third shots hit. Both were enough to snap the radar from its holding position, and the dish came crashing down at the base of the mountain.

The whole situation was chaos, but that was how Danny wanted things to be. He rubbed his firing shoulder. There was a bruise there now. He groaned. "I guess this thing has more of a kick than I thought."

He brought the rifle up again and aimed for the refueling stations. He was about to fire on the barrels at the largest station when he noticed four soldiers standing in the open. One was wearing shiny black armor while the others wore olive green. Everyone else was running in all directions, except for these four. Danny thought this over. From what his dad told him during his military history classes, officers were generally the ones who didn't panic or show fear so that their men could trust them and keep their cool in battle.

Danny smiled. "They must be commanders of some sort." They were the targets he wanted, not the common grunts. They were the brains, and Danny knew how to handle the brawn once they were brainless. He aimed his sniper rifle at them. "Let's see how these guys fight without leadership." He released the sniper rifle's safety catch, and lightly rested his finger on the trigger.

* * *

Lash ran out of the hangar. The huge explosion was easily heard from inside the hangar, and he and the other three commanders came out to find out just what was happening. Already, they could see fires spreading in the forest in the distance in their front. Whatever happened most likely claimed the fuel tanker for the scout company in the forest. Otherwise, nothing would cause a fire that big, that fast.

Lash watched a tank pull out of the hangar, with four more in a chain behind it. The lead tank opened fire in, what the tank commander presumed, was where the possible attack was happening. The five tanks lined up abreast and fired salvo after salvo in the areas on either side of the forest. Lash noted that they didn't shoot into the forest directly for fear of shooting any of their surviving soldiers. With the amount of personnel they had, any loss was a huge one.

"Commander Lash, get over here!"

Lash turned to see Chief Field Commander Krill, distinguished by his black armor, standing by Commanders Rolfe and Tredora. Krill was the Executive Officer to General Striker, and was not known for his patience. Lash sprinted towards the position where the commanders were huddled. He stood at attention, but did not salute so as to avoid making Krill a target. "Sir!"

Krill put his hand up. "At ease, Lash. Alright, Lord Dasyu stated that the human would be approaching. It's pretty safe to say that the human is the cause of the fire in the forest and the lack of communication."

"Yeah, my radio went down a minute ago," Lash responded.

Krill pointed to the fallen radio antennae and radar dish. "That's because the human took out our communications. He's obviously very crafty. He knows how we operate, and unless anyone's forgotten, this one man took out our first drone construction facility. Do not take him lightly."

"When will we have communications back up?" Rolfe asked.

"We're working on getting some short-wave radio signals up. It doesn't go very far, but we'll be able to communicate at some level," Krill said, expressionless.

"That's it, sir?"

Krill's expression darkened. "Unless you want to try smoke signals, sign language, or Morse Code, Commander Rolfe, that's all we have. Make use of what you have."

"The old 'Adapt and Overcome' speech, sir?" Rolfe asked sarcastically.

Krill was about to reply, give a sarcastic response to match Rolfe's and go with his sarcastic attitude, when a zip was heard and his head exploded.

* * *

Danny steadied his aim for a second shot. The first shot had been perfect. The 12.7x99mm projectile had flown true, entered the face of the black-armored commander's face, and exited through the back of his head. That blew his helmet off, allowing a mixture of black fluids and bright sparks to fountain into the air.

Wasting no time, Danny aimed for the commander who seemed to be making the most conversation out of the three. Once again, his shot hit its mark, taking the commander in the middle. The shot entered the back of his neck. The round didn't blow the commander's head off like the first one, but it had the same effect: one-shot fatality.

* * *

Lash snarled and threw himself backward. Tedora tucked and rolled in Lash's direction, desperately seeking cover from the sniper that took out Field Commander Krill. Rolfe was not so lucky. He also fell victim to the sniper fire with barely enough time to realize Krill had his head blown off. The shot penetrated through Rolfe's neck, and exiting out of his throat. Rolfe's expression registered shock as his eyes went dim before going black, falling in a heap.

Both surviving commanders took cover, and it couldn't have been more timely. Moments later, twin reports echoed back and forth over the open fields. Lash fed information to the tank commanders, giving them a rough estimate as to where the human was sniping them from. As tank commanders began moving their tanks into position, Lash stood and headed to the hangar entrance.

Tedora followed him as the tanks opened fire. "Now what do we do?"

Lash looked over at Krill's headless body and Rolfe's decapitated one. "We adapt and overcome, Commander."

* * *

Danny spat into the dirt, angry that the other two commanders evaded his shots. He knew it wasn't likely that he would be able to get all of them. _Next time, _he promised himself. _You're both _mine _next time, suckers._ As the tanks began forming up, Danny shifted his attention back on them.

The tanks opened fire. Most of the shots were way off, but quite a few shells landed pretty close to him. One came close enough that the tremors from the explosion rattled his teeth. Danny grimaced. "Okay, I can't stay here much longer. Just a few more shots and then it's into the conveyor belt."

He brought himself back up and took aim. His sights centered on the leftmost tank. Then he drifted over to the refueling station next to it and centered on the main fueling tank. Danny fired, and the shot connected with the fuel tank, and went up in an explosion of octane and fuel. The ensuing explosion took out the battle tank next to it, adding to the destructive mayhem.

Danny aimed for another station, and took out that as well as a few soldiers nearby. At the edge of his sights, Danny saw two soldiers starting to sit themselves into the seats of a huge artillery cannon, one that could easily track his position and send him into orbit. He shifted his attention to them and tracked the soldier on the right. He ejected the magazine and slapped a fresh one in. As they sat down, Danny took the shot and blew a big hole in the robot. Shifting to the left soldier, he aimed and fired. The shot claimed the life of the other gunner, ending the artillery threat.

Another salvo was fired from the tanks, causing Danny to duck and curl up. This time, the shots were much more accurate. There wasn't a single shot where Danny didn't feel tremors vibrating him. One shot came so close that his hearing dulled. He got up and aimed again for the refueling stations. He aimed at two more refueling stations, and took both of them out, causing absolute frustration.

Deciding it was enough, Danny decided to call it quits and ditched the sniper rifle. He finally had been able to use the M107 after all these years of having it, and was definitely impressed with it. With several well-placed shots, he had caused more than enough to warrant a full alert and attention. But most importantly, he had dealt a huge blow to the enemy morale. It took them forever to locate him, and it cost several lives and loads of equipment and fuel.

As numerous Blades began pouring out of the hangar, Danny ran down to the conveyor belt. He had done what he could, and now had to displace. He stripped himself of all of the sniper rifle ammunition and slung his shotgun, hefted his M60 and all the ammunition with it. Once certain he had his weapons, ammo, and the C4 charges, he got onto the conveyor belt and strapped on his night vision goggles.

He was on his way inside. Now, all he could do was hope that Zainabu, Malka, Tojo, and the rest were faring just as well as he did.

* * *

"Okay, Tojo. They're up for grabs. Take 'em!" Tojo and the others were oh-so-happy to comply. All of them, with the exception of Haraka, had split off into their pairs and separated. Tojo and Mheetu charged forward at the frantic and confused soldiers. They were all running around, trying to find weapons, drag comrades to safe places, basically trying to get somewhere. But as far as Tojo was concerned, it wouldn't be good enough to escape them.

Haraka jumped out well ahead of them and leapt at one of the soldiers, who was busy picking up his weapon. The king cheetah, despite his small size, was able to knock the soldier off balance and run him into a tree. The soldier was out cold. Haraka tackled another soldier who had just grabbed his weapon. Haraka smirked. "Tag, you're it!"

He ran off as another soldier began to bear his rifle down on Haraka, but the king cheetah was way too fast. He was around the rock outcropping as the soldier opened fire.

The soldier was too busy firing at Haraka that he didn't notice the chocolate-furred lion and lioness jumping him from the side. Chumvi speared him to the ground while Zainabu went for the throat. She sunk her teeth into his throat. Him being a robot, his throat was metal, but it still was flexible; she just had to use more force with her jaw. The soldier was now comatose.

Their victory was short-lived, as the remains of the scout force began noticing their presence, and aimed their weapons at them. Chumvi looked at Zainabu. "Time to leave."

"Couldn't have said it better myself," Zainabu replied.

Both ran into the woods, using the thick foliage to their advantage. The soldiers followed them, about eighteen of them, and one small scout vehicle with a turret on it. Most were destroyed from the explosion caused by the tanker, but they were still dangerous.

Unlike most of the enemies the felines faced in their lives, these ones sported the same kind of weapons Danny used. That meant that the soldiers could kill them from a great distance. They needed to take that advantage away. Chumvi realized that would be hard, but they were improvising. They already had a plan set in motion, but they needed to make sure everything worked out perfectly.

"Hey, Malka. You and Tupac got the boulder set up?" Chumvi asked.

He got the answer he was hoping for. "Yeah, the two of us are standing by for you guys to give the signal."

"Well, we're bringing them to you. Get ready to move it."

Chumvi and Zainabu headed towards their destination: an opening between two big rock outcroppings. On the left side was a huge boulder on the edge, with Malka and Tupac ready to unbalance it. If everything went well, the soldiers would fall right underneath the boulder and be crushed. A few shots from enemy rifles zipped by Chumvi's head. _Assuming we don't get shot first_.

They ran with everything they had, adrenaline pumping through their veins. The two of them would not even consider failing, especially with so much at stake. Dust kicked up all around them where bullets struck, a couple coming a little too close for comfort. Some came so close that they could feel the sensation of the heat near their fur.

Zainabu was starting to feel a little winded. She didn't want to even fathom how Chumvi was feeling. Despite the fastest of the male lions in the pride, Chumvi was still a male. The lack of a mane and smaller size made it easy for Zainabu to run, whereas Chumvi had to start feeling hot, even with the dark storm clouds approaching. She looked back. The soldiers were still a decent distance behind them, but their rifles were able to make up for that handicap.

With the gunshots and her starting to feel tired, she started zig-zagging left and right to make her a harder target. Danny had taught her and the others that when it ever came to facing someone other than him with a gun. He had always preached taking away advantages and finishing the fight your own way, and so far, it seemed to be working. Chumvi also noticed her motions, and followed suit.

Soon, they passed through the outcroppings, but kept running. They caught Malka and Tupac getting into position as they did. Zainabu and Chumvi went around a huge tree and stopped to hide behind it and catch a breather. It was a good thing they did, because they were wheezing and in dire need of some air.

The scout force came closer. They, like the two lions, were winded. That was evidenced by the soldiers trotting pace. Unfortunately, it made them easy to predict when it came to unbalancing the boulder. As they came within six feet of the bottleneck, Malka and Tupac pushed the boulder over the edge with relative ease.

The scout force never saw it coming. The boulder tumbled down and hit the soldiers with authority, crushing the five front-most soldiers of the group and trapping the leg of the sixth. The boulder blocked the small opening, adding insult to the injury. The scout force would have to go around the long way.

Tupac smirked at the soldier who was trapped by the boulder. "Sorry, man. Did that hurt?"

He and Malka ran down the slope and headed over to the tree where Zainabu and Chumvi were hiding behind, trying to catch their breath. This was a break they needed, and they would take them when they came. Tupac noticed both were panting for breath, trying desperately to cool down. Chumvi had it the worst, having a mane and dark fur.

"How was your afternoon run?" Tupac asked sarcastically.

"Sh-Shut up, kid," Zainabu responded. "You….weren't running…from nuts with guns."

Malka looked around for any enemies. "Well, the longer we keep these suckers at bay, the more time Danny has to infiltrate the stronghold and rescue." He sighed. "At least we have a moment to breathe."

No sooner than those words had exited from his mouth, explosions went off from everywhere. Whistling could be heard right before the explosions went off, blowing off branches and entire trees altogether. Grass and dirt was being upturned from explosions in random places and the lions timeout was gone. The salvo hammered away at the surrounding area before lifting.

The lions slowly got up from where they were laying prone. Chumvi glared at Malka. "I'm sorry. Were you saying something?"

Malka shrugged in "surrender" fashion. "I didn't know. How could I have known?" He remembered the headset and that Danny could hear them. "Danny might know." He leaned down to the receiver. "Danny, did you hear-"

"I heard the explosions, Malka," Danny responded. "It must be those tanks who were firing on me. They also were trying to man some artillery cannons at me as well. Those are guns that fire huge shells that shoot up in the sky and come down on the ground and explode. Whoever is in that scout force is probably relaying target information to them regarding where you're at. You need to get clear of the blast radius."

"Got it. Thanks for tipping us off."

"No pro…oh, crap. I just felt the ground thump a couple of times. They just fired their cannons. Get clear!"

"Time to go, guys!" Malka began running deeper into the forest, which was starting ablaze thanks to Danny taking out the tanker. Just as they began running, the artillery and tank salvo hit the ground where they were at. They needed to keep this up as long as possible. But sooner or later, their luck was going to run out. The question was: who would pay with their lives?

Tupac, during breaths, managed to say. "I hope Mheetu, Tojo, and Haraka….are doing better than we are."

* * *

Haraka was using his speed to the best of his abilities. He was able to avoid the majority of the scout force, the latter kept busy with the lions. Unfortunately, the part of the scout force that paid him any mind was the only scout vehicle left in the strike force. It could definitely match the king cheetah's speed. However, a machine could never be as agile as a beast, and Haraka used that and the thick forest to his advantage.

The only thing that was bugging him was the soldier mounted on the cannon of the vehicle. It was peppering any area where they caught Haraka in, and whenever he was seen, his running room was limited. The good thing about not being in an open field was that it kept him from having to use his top end speed, and thus, wearing him out faster.

He needed to take out the gunner of that vehicle and he needed to do it soon. If he could do that, he could isolate the driver and take him out. The trees provided excellent cover to do that.

"Hey, Haraka. Where are you?" That was Danny who came in over the radio.

"I'm the forest. I'm trying to shake this scout vehicle behind me, but it's proving a bit difficult."

"Alright, let me know when you've lost him."

"Working on it," Haraka said, just as a burst of fire from the vehicle gunner came close to him. Too close, in fact, as it was enough of a blast to knock Haraka in the air. The king cheetah landed on his feet, but he was angry. He snarled and let out a hiss. _Time to end this._

He ran around the closest tree. His break came immediately in front of him. Past a tree thirty yards ahead of him was a tipped-over tree, leaning at a thirty degree angle. Haraka used his top end speed to reach the tree before the scout rounded the corner. The king cheetah wanted to surprise them, and that couldn't happen if the scout vehicle saw him. Thankfully, he made it before the vehicle made it around the corner. He jumped up onto the fallen tree and crouched low and waited.

The vehicle made the turn and approached Haraka's position. The gunner was actively scanning the area, looking for Haraka. It was getting closer and closer, and Haraka was getting anxious to pounce. As it came under him, the cheetah made his move. Haraka dove when the gunner had his back to him. He knocked the gunner from his position, sending him into the tree on the other side in a bone-crushing manner.

"Hey, Buck. You okay?" The driver turned to see what happened with his gunner, only to find a snarling cheetah staring at him. On instinct, the driver swerved. The momentum change ejected Haraka from the vehicle, but he was able to land on his feet.

The driver turned around, only to find out that he had made one of the worst mistakes: making a swerve without looking ahead. Because now, he was going at full speed into a tree. The driver screamed as the vehicle detonated on impact with the tree, sending shrapnel and wood splinters in all directions.

Haraka took a sigh of relief and spoke into his receiver. "Danny, the vehicle has been taken care of."

"Okay, Haraka. Good job. I'm almost at the end of the conveyor belt. I'll be looking to take out the power to the facility. It'll only slow them down, but it'll help me get in a better position to find the lionesses. Try to keep them occupied as long as possible."

"Doing a bang-up job so far, but we'll do our best. Haraka out."

Haraka knew this was buying extra time, but with the artillery and tanks salvos beginning to rain down on the forest, and the flames spreading to create a wildfire, they couldn't keep this up forever. They would have to leave the forest and run away, hoping that they would be able to draw the enemy forces away for as long as possible. He just hoped that it would be enough.

**Hope you liked it. Prepare for more action next chapter. After that, I will get back to Simba's/Kovu's side.**


	21. Out of Luck

**Hey, everyone. Wow, after going a few months in between chapters, I think I set a record for the shortest time frame between uploading chapters. That's amazing considering all the classes I'm taking. Also, I've rediscovered a small addiction to games in the form of Modern Warfare 2 and Halo: Reach. I hope you have been enjoying the story. I'm sorry if it seems a bit long. Anyways, enjoy this chapter…**

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* * *

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Tojo and Mheetu were faring decently well during the fight. They had started the ambush, but managed to get separated from the rest. Even so, they were faring very well. They were working in perfect sync and picking off all the stragglers they had encountered in the forests. The fires, in spite of the danger, was working as an excellent camouflage for them, and the enemy soldiers were having great difficulty locating their tan-and-brown fur among the red hue.

Over the radio, they had heard Haraka taking care of the lone surviving vehicle from the opening attack. But they also heard reports of artillery and tank fire on the forest. While they didn't really know what a tank or artillery was, they did know it was just as, if not more deadly than gunshots. They would have to be on their toes for any salvos that came their way.

Mheetu tackled one of two soldiers on the lookout for them. The other soldier turned to shoot the lion that attacked his comrade, only to find himself in the same position when Tojo tackled him. Both lions went for the throat and squeezed until fluids leaked out of the soldiers' necks.

Once he was certain his target was dead, Mheetu looked up at Tojo, who was doing likewise. "Hey, Tojo. Should we link back up with the others?"

"We can certainly try," Tojo replied. "That's going to be a bit tough when all your landmarks are covering in flames." He spoke into his receiver. "Hey, Chumvi. How's things on your end?"

Gunfire and explosions that could be heard in the distance were heard up close through the headset as Chumvi spoke. "It's a little sporty over here. We're getting shot at from behind and trying to split them up, but the fire is making that a challenge in itself."

"Where are you?" Tojo asked. He looked at Mheetu. The cream-furred lion was not paying attention to him. He was keeping an eye out for trouble.

"I'm not sure, but I know we passed a small waterhole a short time back. That's the only recognizable landmark now."

"Alright, keep them at bay. Mheetu and I are going to head back to the fall-back point. Then we'll give the signal to fall back. I don't think we can do much more here, and this wildfire is only going to force us out. We need to draw Dasyu's forces as far away from the stronghold to buy the most amount of time possible for Danny."

"Check, we're on it."

Tojo sighed. This was tough business, but far worth it if it meant saving Kula's life. "Alright, Mheetu. Let's get moving, before-"

"How about we move now!" Mheetu shouted before taking off.

"What?" Tojo turned to see where Mheetu was looking at. Tanks, scout vehicles, and a decent-sized group of infantry were heading their way. The tanks opened fire. "Okay, I'm with you on that, Mheetu!" He turned to run as a tank round exploded where he was standing a moment ago.

* * *

Gyro was tired of this. He was doing his job for hours and just watching everything. With the antennae and radar knocked out, his job was useless until repairs were complete. He and the rest of his colleagues were just standing in the observation spire, just pacing and twiddling their thumbs. Dasyu ordered them to stay there unless he initiated the "Warrior-First" Protocol, an emergency stating that everyone was to be armed and to shoot on sight anyone or anything clearly not affiliated with them.

His soldier "buddies" once again made fun of him being a signal operator and not allowed to fight. It drove him crazy. The signal operators were told to stay here, but Gyro had other plans. Grabbing a small, but powerful pistol he carefully stowed under his operating chair.

Making sure he was not seen, he snuck out. He headed for the nearest transport car to the spire. Setting his pistol in his pocket, he entered the car. He set it for the level he wanted.

He watched where the sniper was firing from. He knew that there was a conveyor belt that led inside, but he told no one. He wanted to save this glory and honor for himself. He knew where that particular belt led to, and he had programmed it for that level. Gryo smiled with eagerness. "You think you've outsmarted us, human. But I know better. I look forward to seeing the shock on your face when I kill you."

When he came back with the human's body, Dasyu would then admit that Gyro was soldier material after all.

* * *

Danny pulled off his night vision. He was coming to the end of the conveyor belt. He readied his M60. Even though he had given most of Dasyu's forces the slip, that didn't mean the stronghold would be completely empty. There would be some resistance. _I just hope I can get the lionesses out quickly and quietly. Once they're free, it's just me and Dasyu._

He burned with anger at the thought of that snake's very name. Danny wasn't going to leave without justice for his family's murder. That was a vow he was going to keep.

Just before he came into the light, Danny rolled off the belt. Inside, was not a steel works nor any grinding or refinery equipment. The belt continued on for a great distance, but the room he was in was filled with turbines, generators, and reactors or some sort. All of them were lined up in five columns. It wasn't what he was expecting, but he was thankful for the lack of personnel. There was nobody in sight, and for the moment, he had a moment of peace.

Danny looked at all of the equipment. "A lot of expensive equipment." He placed a hand on one of the C4 charges on his waist. "Too bad it's all going to go away."

He jumped up to the main floor and used the stairs to the first catwalk. The controls were unmanned and automated. _I guess that explains why there's no one here._ Danny got to work and headed for the nearest turbine. He set a C4 charge activated it for remote detonation. He was about to set another one when a gunshot went off. He ducked instinctively, but the shot hit his neckband. Danny now had no way to communicate with the others. He cursed.

Danny looked up to see a robot with a pistol aiming at him again. He didn't seem to be a soldier, as evidenced by the lack of armor and a larger weapon than the pistol he was sporting. The attacker fired a few more shots as Danny rushed for cover behind the consoles. He pulled out his pistol and made sure a round was chambered. He cursed under his breath. "You shouldn't have missed."

He got up and fired back at the attacker.

Gyro saw the human come up and aim a pistol at him. Gyro moved as the man fired three shots at him. He dove for cover behind one of the reactors. Then he heard running, and it was coming towards him. It had to be the human. But with the loud acoustics and numerous columns of reactors, Gyro couldn't tell if the human was running down one of the far columns or the one he was at.

_He's gotta be coming by the one next to me. Now way he'd try to go the long way._ Gyro waiting for the human to come around the corner, but he didn't. In fact, the running stopped. Gyro aimed his pistol around the corner and leaned over to look. The human wasn't anywhere to be seen. Gyro turned around. _Maybe he is trying to go the long way around._

He got up and turned to head to the other side of the reactor to the next column. He looked down the catwalk aisle. Again, there was not a soul in sight. He groaned in frustration. "You think this hide-and-seek is going to save you, human?"

A click from behind made him flinch. Trying to act fast, he whipped around and brought his pistol up to fire. He never got the shot off, as the human fired, wounding him in the shoulder and causing Gyro to release his pistol. The pistol clanged against the catwalk and fell down to the level below.

Danny began walking to Gyro as the latter slumped to the ground. "Nope, but it doesn't seem to be working for you, either." He aimed his pistol at Gyro's head. Gyro just turned to look the other way. Something in Danny hesitated to kill this soldier. Granted, he worked for Dasyu, but something seemed different about this one. He just seemed eager to prove something, but didn't have the experience to battle him.

Gyro noticed Danny didn't kill him, so he taunted him. "Kill me! Isn't that what you do to people who work under Dasyu?"

Danny lowered his pistol. "You don't sound like you enjoy serving Dasyu."

"I don't," Gyro replied distastefully. "I just work for him."

"Alright," Danny said. Against his better judgment, he said, "Then I'm going to let you live."

Gyro looked confused. "You're gonna let me live?"

Danny knelt next to him. "Yes, but I don't plan on leaving here alive. I plan on taking Dasyu and this facility with me. I've already got a charge set on one of these reactors. I suggest you get as far away from here as you can."

Gyro weighed his options and quickly decided that his life was more important. "Alright, then. I'm out."

"However," Danny held up a finger. "If I'm letting you live, I need some information from you. I need to find the prisoner bays and the systems that power this facility, as well as the control room. I need a short-wave radio to communicate with my friends since you destroyed my neckband. Where are they?"

Gyro pulled out a device from his worker's coat. It looked like a palm pilot. "You'll need this." He tapped a few buttons and a schematic of the whole facility appeared. Two boxes flashed on the screen. The prison complex is on the ground level, three floors up, on a corridor linked to the hangar. You just have to take the elevator car down the hall here." Gryo pointed to the hall to their right. "The control room is two floors up, but the only way you can get in there is by knocking out the power generator. That's five rooms down from the control room. There isn't much for security detail, so it shouldn't be much of a problem." He handed the palm device to Danny. "Here, it'll direct you to the power station first and then to the control room. After that, go in the elevator car to the next floor up. The hangar will be in the door in front of you once you get off the car. The prisoner bays will be marked in the hangar. You'll know it when you see it."

Danny nodded. "Thanks for the help, pal. Sorry about the shoulder, though."

"Don't worry about it…just go." Gyro grabbed Danny before he took off. "Hey, human. Be careful what you shoot at." He smiled sheepishly. "Most things in this facility, particularly his section, don't react too well to bullets."

Danny looked around and saw what he meant. "Right." He had finally noticed the yellow circles with a black dot in the center and three pie slice-shaped polygons in a delta triangle located on each reactor. It explained why there was nothing but automated controls operating the machinery. It was filled with nuclear reactors. Any type of explosion would incinerate the entire stronghold.

Danny slapped his last two charges in hidden spots on two other reactors and then headed for the car. He didn't find many controls, except for a lever and an initiate button. He lifted the lever two notches and hit the button. Soon enough, he was moving up. Danny smiled. He was one step closer to achieving his objectives.

* * *

Tojo and Mheetu ran for their lives. Things seemed to be going okay, but the approaching tanks and soldiers made those tables turn really quick. While the fire was providing good concealment for them, it wasn't providing good cover. Some of the tank shells were landing awfully close to them, and they could only hope that they could clear the fire as well as the tanks before either one of them were injured or killed.

Mheetu knew they were no match for tanks, and with no way to isolate them, things were beginning to swing against them. He looked over to the lion he began to consider his brother more than a friend and fellow sentinel. "Tojo, you do realize there's no way we can beat them."

"That's not the point of our mission, buddy. We're just trying to buy some time for Danny, not defeat these losers." They bobbed and weaved through the trees and roots, while trying to talk. "We just need to keep them guessing long enough to allow the lionesses to be rescued, then we'll be off Scott-free."

They made it to an opening where the fire hadn't reached yet. It was enough to where some light other than the flames could be seen. It was also where they could take a minute to stop and catch their breath. Both of them were panting, and their lungs felt as though they were on fire like the rest of the forest. Tojo thought his heart was going to pound right out of his chest. He didn't realize he was running this fast, and the heat was catching up to him. It was one of the few times he contemplated jumping into the first waterhole he came across.

He looked at Mheetu. The cream-furred lion looked worse than he felt. Tojo shook his head. "You…you look like hell."

Mheetu jerked his head behind him. "That's because I just ran out of it." He looked back. "We should get going again, before they find us. The further we go, the harder it is for them to find us."

"But this forest doesn't go on forever, and they know that," Tojo noted.

"All the more reason to keep moving," Mheetu said, before a loud and droning noise caused him to look up. Air fighters, exactly like the ones they had fought earlier, were now flying through the sky. No doubt they had caused enough trouble to call in air support to search for them from above. Mheetu groaned loudly. "Oh, come on. What do you want from us, God?"

A not-too-distant tank blast caused them to jerk their eyes to the rear. The tanks were getting closer, and the fire was approaching even faster. Their rest break was over, and only made harder by the air patrols. If they were going to get out of this alive, they would need to run now, and do their best to avoid getting shot from the fighters in the sky.

"Time to go, Mheetu. We need to get to the fallback point and make a run for it. We've done all we can. Now, it's time to lose them in the pillar fields."

"If we can make it that far," Mheetu said before taking off with Tojo.

* * *

Sarabi and the others had been woken up by loud explosions and gunshots. Those explosions and gunshots were followed by klaxon alarms that began to irritate their ears. They were all confused as to what's going on, but they were sure Danny was part of it. That filled them all with hope, especially Sarabi. Even as the matriarch of the pride, she was still looked up to as a leader, and was doing a profound job at keeping the lionesses together.

Berhane was doing her best to encourage her daughter-in-law, Aziza. "Don't worry sweetheart. Chumvi has been through hard times before. With Danny and the others with him, they'll be able to find a way to get through this one too."

Aziza nodded. "I know that. I'm just worried for him, that's all."

Sarabi came and bumped her head against Aziza's. "Have faith, my child. Danny has fought past huge odds before. Knowing him, he will think of something to get to us. It wouldn't be the first time he's improvised to keep things in his favor."

"Especially after what he's done before, I see no reason to stop believing in him now," Shani responded, just as confident, if not more than the others.

Kula however, seemed more prudent in her thinking. "The question is: will these creeps use us as insurance to make Danny stop?"

"It's possible, but Danny should be able to act quickly before anyone comes for us," Sarabi replied.

The one advantage the lionesses had was that no one had shown up in the prison bays. All of the security left when the attacks began, and they hadn't seen anyone since. If Danny was able to get to them before anyone showed, they could be out and able to help in the escape. The question was who would show up first. Danny and the lions already had their hands full with a whole army to deal with, and things could get very bad on the flip of a coin.

Ebere, one of the three senior lionesses there, also offered her take into the conversation. "I have to say, though, if Danny and the others pull it off, then this probably tops it in my book as the greatest achievement Danny has ever made."

"Oh, I can assure you, that achievement will never happen."

Everyone jumped around to face the leader of the entire faction. Even though he was in lion form, they knew it was Dasyu. Sarabi saw it first, then everyone saw that Dasyu was not a man, but a lion who revealed himself to be a transformer like the rest of the beings here. He transformed into his robot form and walked toward the laser wall preventing either side from attacking the other. "You see, you have animals and one man with guns to match only my soldiers. I have tanks and an air force. No one can beat those odds."

Sarabi smirked. "My memory's a little faulty, but I seem to recall that one man blowing up an entire facility of yours."

Dasyu kept his cool, pointing a finger at her. "You are a bold one." He began pacing the outside of the cell, with his hands behind his back. "But it doesn't matter either way. I do admit, that human has caused more than enough damage to my men and my equipment. More so than my appetite for entertainment desired. Your fellow lions seem to be doing a good job eluding my forces, but I've got a surprise in store for them. You may think they're shrewdly avoiding my men, but your friends are walking into a trap."

"I don't believe you," Shani said defiantly.

"You don't have to, my girl," Dasyu replied, sounding a little amused. "I know what Danny is after, and I've built the mousetrap that even _he_ can't avoid: you six lionesses."

He pulled out a pistol and made sure it was loaded and chambered. "Danny has done a good job fighting his way to me this far, but now he'll be reaching the end of the road. With him out of the way, I will destroy your lions as I will with your precious home, and the world too."

"You're insane," Kula said, and jumped at Dasyu. She forgot the laser wall preventing her from touching Dasyu, and was thrown back against the floor in shocking pain.

Dasyu smirked at the pathetic attempt to attack him. "There is no heroic escape today, lionesses. With all of you, and Danny's head as trophies, this world and its inhabitants, animal and man, will finally see that submission and obedience to me is the _only true path_." He made a motioning gesture with his hand. "But to keep you entertained, I have multiple cameras keeping highlights of today's battle. This way, you can watch everything unfold before your very eyes." He pointed at Shani. "And I'm expecting you to believe me. Enjoy the show." He spun on his heel and left the bay.

Behind them, all along the walls, multiple walls opened to reveal multiple cameras. On one shot, they could clearly see Chumvi and Zainabu. Another showed the majority of the forest, or what was left of it. Fires were growing rapidly, and started to envelop half the forest. Another popped up to reveal Danny's majordomo, Haraka, outrunning vehicles in hot pursuit of him.

Nothing could be more nail-biting to the captured lionesses than to watch and wonder if the next moment would be the last for their rescue party. Sarabi laid down and prayed. _Oh, God. Please don't let them die._

_

* * *

_

Danny reached the level he was looking for. It was the level with the control room and the power generator. The corridor was pretty long, with support beams on either side and about ten feet apart from the other. Red lights flashed and klaxon alarms were blaring, but it seemed as though there was no one guarding any doors. Danny shook his head. _Something's off. No guards, but the base is under attack. The alarm has been sounded, and I should be seeing at least a squad in this corridor. _

Danny did take the alarms as an advantage. It allowed him the ability to walk without being heard. He scanned the area with his M60, and moved forward. As he walked, he looked for any security cameras. Even though there wasn't a soul in sight, he knew their would be someone watching him via camera, and he didn't want to alert anyone. At least, not yet.

Danny heard doors slid open and immediately ducked behind on of the support beams. He let his M60 hang off of his sling and pulled out his pistol. He felt his heart race as he heard the footsteps get closer and the voices louder. His finger rested lightly on the trigger and waited for them.

"Yeah, Striker signaled to us that he's almost in position. It's only a matter of time now," one said.

"What about the human? We haven't heard about him at all. All we know is that he was definitely the sniper that did a good number on us." The other asked, clearly sounding impatient for an answer.

They passed Danny as the first one fumbled his words in hopes of finding a reasonable answer. "Well, uh…we can't say for sure at this time. We only have a rough estimate of where he was firing from, but nothing exact. We're going to send someone to take a look over in the area to find out."

Danny aimed for the impatient robot. He centered the rear sight on his head and began to pull the trigger. Nothing would stop him from killing these two, but he held back. He wanted to shoot both of them. He wanted every single one of them, but he withheld from killing the one in the nuclear reactor level because he didn't seem to be a big fan of Dasyu. These two he refrained from killing because he wasn't sure if troops would come pouring out at hearing the gunshots. Danny waited until they were out of sight. "I hope I don't come across that situation again."

He followed the tracking device and came to the control room. It was closed, but Danny was sure it could be opened, by forceful persuasion if need be. He pulled off the dog tags that belonged to his father, and hung them on the support beam next to the door. _I'm comin' back for you._

Danny headed down the corridor, counting the doors as he went. He remembered the robot telling him it was five doors down the hall from the control room. He counted five, and came to a double door. Being careful, he slowly pushed the door open and peeked in.

Again, no one in the room, but there was a security camera off to his left. Danny pushed the camera so that it was facing the roof. The room had nothing but cylindrical generators in the middle of the room, all positioned on their sides. A power box and huge cables were on the other side of the room.

Danny started heading over that way, but making sure he wasn't being seen. He kept low and watched every corner, every shadow, anything that might be an enemy. He started rounding the corner, but quickly back up as he peered a little further around. A soldier was walking through the area, making sure everything was operable.

Danny got down on his knee and aimed his pistol. The soldier came around the corner. He had his rifle slung over his shoulder and was causally strolling the area, looking at the equipment. Danny waited until the soldier turned, aiming for his head. The soldier finally turned and saw Danny. Before he could even scream, Danny fired the pistol. The shot went clean through his head, but even with the alarms, that shot could still be heard.

"Serves you right for being so lax when a battle's going on," Danny said at the dead soldier. He shook his head. "So much for subtle." He ran over to the power box and found two huge red switches. He slammed both down. Alarms, lights, and all power went out in the room. The entire facility suffered the failure a few moments afterward. Just for insurance, Danny yanked the cables out of their sockets to make sure the power would stay out.

He placed his night vision goggles on his face and turned them on. The ambient green light up his vision, and he was able to roam about easily.

Danny opened the doors and headed back down the corridor, and saw a robot coming out of the control room. He was staggering, sticking his hand out and turning in all directions. It was obvious that he couldn't see. But his wandering hands happened to catch the dog tags Danny left as a marker to find his way back to the control center in case he messed up his count. He quickly stalked his way over to the humanoid and tapped his shoulder.

The robot turned. "Who's there?"

"I'll take those," Danny said, and punched the robot in the face with the barrel of his pistol. Danny caught the tags in mid-air as the robot fell to the ground, out cold. Danny noticed the door was open and walked in. Four soldiers were busy at the controls and talking into radios, when they heard the clacking action of Danny's M60 being pulled back. "Hello there."

He pulled the trigger, and metal met metal as the rounds tore through the first two. The other was screaming into a radio as another was bringing his rifle up to shoot Danny. Acting quickly, Danny fired a short burst from the hip. It was a wild shot, but it was enough to make the soldier duck. That was all Danny needed to head for the soldier. He went around the wide side, using the lack of light as his concealment. The soldier kept firing at the position where Danny used to be, not knowing the human was no longer there.

Danny came around the corner and had an easy shot at the two. He shot the guard trying to shoot him, and then shot the final guard screaming into his radio. Danny came up to the radio and heard someone else's voice screaming through the receiver. "Thix? Thix! Do you read me? Answer me, Thix!"

Danny was so tempted to stomp on the radio in frustration, but he remembered the first robot he encountered destroyed his neckband. He would need something to communicate with to his friends, even if it was on an open channel.

The controls seemed to come back to life. A graphic display of a map was shown on the main screen, while some dim lights began to illuminate the place. Danny shook his head. "Crud. Dasyu must have some backup power. At least it's not much." He needed to act fast. He was about to grab the radio when there was something about the display that caught his eye. "What the…?"

He walked over to the display and studied it. The obvious key locations were the stronghold mountain and the forest nearby. He looked and saw one large and one small group of red dots, indicating energy signatures. It didn't surprise Danny that Dasyu had a lot of forces. What confused him was the way they were positioned around the forest. Danny frowned. "This doesn't make any sense. They don't match…" Looking closer, he saw the small group was positioned in between the stronghold and the forest. No doubt that was the force he initially attacked and were now pursuing the others. But that meant the larger group was…

Alarm pierced Danny's senses as he realized what was happening. He needed to reach that radio and let his friends know, and pronto. Just as he turned, soldiers came through the door, seeing Danny through the dim light and aiming their weapons at him. Danny brought his weapon up and fired back.

With the soldiers giving him an immediate threat, his mission to reach that radio became that much more urgent and that much harder.

* * *

Mheetu and Tojo kept running. They were almost at their fallback point, but the pursuing forces were growing closer and closer. But the advantage they had was the huge crevice in separating the treeline and the open fields. The only short way across was the huge log that had provided the animals a bridge into the forest. The tanks would not be able to follow them straight through, and would have to take the scenic route.

They were going to call the others to rendezvous and head for the pillar fields, but Tojo was pretty sure that they were already trying to make it back there. Of course, nothing could be guaranteed with the forest fire and the enemy forces. For all they knew, they were the last ones left. That was not something that settled well with Tojo.

He felt his stomach churning as his body was about to reach complete muscle failure. Tojo finally puked a little bit, but he kept running. He knew what would happen if he stopped. _I'm not going to quit. I can't quit. Sentinels never quit._ He pushed his body over his limits and kept running with Mheetu.

They saw their target up ahead: the log bridge. But the tank shots were coming closer and closer, as was the rifle shots from the soldiers. Mheetu jumped on the bridge, and Tojo followed suit. They were almost there.

The tanks finally finding a little room to move and see, opened up with a huge salvo and pummeled the crevice with everything they had. The lions slipped and almost fell over the edge, but they held on. Both were struggling to maintain their balance due to the tank blasts' shockwaves.

One of the tanks managed to shoot the edge of the log bridge, and both lions saw the back end begin to slide off. "Go, go, go! Jump, Tojo!" Mheetu ran and jumped into the air, with Tojo right behind him. Much to Tojo's relief, they landed on all four feet on the other side. It was a small break, but Tojo would take it. Mheetu wasted no time in running again. Tojo started to run, but then felt himself go airborne and his world went black.

It felt like hours, but it was actually only seconds when Tojo came back to consciousness. His vision was fading in and out, but he felt a consistent in his body that was plain as day: pain. His head was already pounding enough, but he felt pain in his front left leg. He looked down to see blood pouring from the wound and dripping down to his paw.

"I've got you, Tojo. Hang on!" He felt teeth sink into his mane, and quickly realized it was Mheetu dragging him away from the forest. Explosions shook his entire being, as he looked back and saw the fire envelop all he could see of the forest. His vision faded again, but he was still conscious.

He picked himself up, and would've fallen back down if not for Mheetu sticking his shoulder underneath Tojo's foreleg. "Come on, get up!" Tojo urged his body to move, but it resisted to the messages from his brain. Mheetu's screaming changed that. "Get up! Get up! We're almost there." Tojo watched Mheetu lean down to his neckband. "Guys, this is Mheetu. Head back to the fallback location."

Their fallback point was the other side of the log. It was only a few feet away. The enemy forces would take at least half an hour to get their soldiers across the crevice and about an hour for their tanks and vehicles. The fighters in the sky would be another story, but they were nowhere to be seen.

Mheetu helped Tojo over the log and they were able to rest. Tojo stood on his three good legs while Mheetu rested on his belly. "We did it Tojo, we made it back."

"Good," came a British-accented voice from behind them. The two lions turned to see a tiger-like robot facing them with a pistol in his hand and a metal device in the other. "That's two less loose cannons to plug." General Striker aimed at the wounded Tojo and fired.

Tojo felt a new definition of pain as the bullet hit him right in the stomach. It all felt as though it all happened in slow motion, but he couldn't avoid it. His legs buckled as he fell down to the ground, blood pouring out from his fatal wound.

Mheetu stood in shock for a second as he watched his close friend fall in front of his eyes, dying right before him. "NO!" Mheetu dove to tackle Striker and slash his throat, but he never got the chance. His one-second delay was more than enough for Striker to aim at him and shoot him right in the head, dead before he even hit the ground.

Tojo, who was still alive, watched his friend get shot and killed in front of him. He had never experienced the death of a friend like this, and wished it never happened. He wanted to cry, but the tears refused to fall. He wanted to scream, but his lungs had little air. He wanted to slash Striker in two, but his body refused to budge.

He saw Striker waved over two soldiers, who picked him up as his vision faded again. When his vision returned, he saw the two soldiers holding his legs before tossing him into a small pit in the ground. He rolled and came to a halt on the opposite side of the pit, and didn't even care to wonder why they had tossed him over here. He could hear his own heart beating, and the pain felt worse than any pain he had felt before. It felt as though someone lit a bonfire on him, with no dousing water in sight.

Tojo looked over and saw the two soldiers toss Mheetu's body over into the pit next to him. Mheetu's body rolled over once and stopped, facing Tojo. Mheetu's vacant eyes stared back at him, and nothing made Tojo feel more helpless in his life than this moment.

His radio crackled to life, and he heard a frantic voice. "Tojo! Anybody…come in." Gunfire was heard in the background as the familiar voice continued to shout through the receiver. "This is Danny. I'm under attack by Dasyu's men in the stronghold. Dasyu's set the majority of his forces behind the forest. The ones in front were just decoys. _Do not _come any closer! I say again, do NOT come any closer. It's a trap! Get OOUUTTT!"

Disappointment kill Tojo in spirit. _If only that message came a few minutes earlier…_ It was too late now. Mheetu didn't make it, and it looked like he was a goner as well.

One of the soldiers began pouring liquid all over him and Mheetu. It tasted horrible, but his nose immediately recognized it from being near Danny and his ship. It was gasoline, and Tojo was drenched with it. He slowly realized what was going to happen next as the soldier left, leaving one person left there.

He saw Striker come closer to him. Tojo looked up at him in fear as he realized the metal device the General was holding in his hand was a zippo, and he was flipping it open and closed. Striker smirked as he flipped the zippo open and lit it. Striker took a step back, and tossed the zippo onto the lions.

The next thing Tojo knew, flames enveloped both his and Mheetu's bodies. The last thing Tojo saw was Striker moving on towards his troops. The pain was excruciating, and it seemed like it would never stop. His body burned as the fire covered him. As his vision faded for the last time, he only thought one last statement. _I'm so sorry, Kula. I love you._

His heartbeat stopped and Tojo ceased to live.

* * *

**I'm sorry, guys. But it was going to happen. Now that I've done three straight chapters on Danny's side, I will head back to Simba/Kovu's side of the story.**


	22. Crunch Time

**Hey, everyone! First, I greatly apologize for the long wait. I've been busy with exams and had to focus on that first. Secondly, I want to thank everyone for reviews. They have been encouraging and helpful. The two I want to note most are Loco Elote and a RandomAccount 01, who I'm deducting as Josh based on his review from my first story.**

**Yes, I did rip the last scene from the last chapter from Modern Warfare 2. I thought it fit in real well. But again, I want to think these two for keeping me in check and giving me honest reviews. That's not to say everyone else gave me bad reviews. It's just that they pointed out a noticeable trend. So thank you, guys.**

**Anyways, here's the next chapter of my story. I hope you enjoy it and I will work harder to upload the next one a lot quicker than the last few.**

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It was another day in the Pride Lands. Birds chirped to indicate the morning had come and some of the animals were already up and about to gather some food. The sun's radiant light began warming up the lands and the dew began melting and evaporating from the grass. Yes, it was a beautiful day and everything and every creature was at peace.

Except for one lion among the pride, the one who joined and was facing conflicting agendas. Kovu had woken up from early in the morning and left the cave just as the sun started its rise into the sky. He walked all the way up to the promontory and had a great view of the lands.

But that was not what he went up there to do. He wanted to make sure that he wasn't heard by anyone. Kovu needed to think over the situation. He was now at the point of officially crossing over to the Pride Landers. No longer would he be aligned with Zira and the Outsiders, finally finding a family and a lioness who loved him.

He sighed and tried to collect his thoughts. "Okay, gotta think about this." _Who am I kidding?_ he wondered. "This is crazy. Where do I start with this?" He tried to speech his words as best as possible. "Kiara, Zira had a plot and I was part of it, b-but I don't want to be. It's because-" Kovu was surprised he said this, even to himself. "It's because I love you. At first, it was following orders. But now, I've seen for myself something other than war and battle and the next mission. I have seen family, peace, love…and you."

Kovu heard yawning roars behind him. _Sounds like they're getting up. _He thought over how this would go. For the most part, Kiara loved him. On the other hand, he had only been with the pride for a few days. The more he self-doubted this whole confession, the less confident he felt about coming forward about it. "She'll never believe me, but I still got a try."

He walked back to the cave to find Kiara. He didn't have long to look, as she was the first to come out of the cave. Her face lit up with a happy expression at seeing Kovu. "Good morning, Kovu."

Kovu gave a quick smile before returning his serious expression. "Kiara, I need to talk to you."

"Kiara!" Before he could say anything, a firm not to mention wary voice kept him from going further, and the tone made Kovu cringe. It was Simba, who emerged from the shadows of the cave. His commanding expression was one to be feared and respected. "I don't want you talking with him." Suddenly, his expression changed from authoritative to a friendly smile. "_I'd _like to talk with him."

Kiara knew that smile and returned it. Her father was finally lightening up and trying to get to know Kovu. She hoped that Simba would find out how caring and kind-hearted Kovu really was, and that he was trying to break free of the shell of hatred and rebellion built by Zira. She saw Simba wink at her, and she returned it.

Kovu on the other hand, was confused. He didn't know how to interpret Simba's behavior, but wouldn't disobey an order from the king. As Simba began walking, Kovu fell in step behind him.

Kiara watched them walk away, happy that the two would begin opening up to the other. She hoped that things would work out well between them. She was certain there would be a future with her and Kovu, but she needed her father's approval. That had proven tough the first few days, but it seemed that Simba was finally taking the time to see what she saw in Kovu. Up to this point, Simba had seen him as a threat. Kiara saw Kovu as a lost soul that was in need of direction and love, something he didn't get much of while with Zira.

Her thoughts were interrupted as Tanabi walked up beside her with Nala. She was still trying to get over the fact that her older brother was alive and that she had only known him for two days. Kiara gave him a smile. "So, how's it feel being back from the dead, Tanabi?"

"Well, baby sister," Tanabi said with a jovial chuckle. "It's all like I only left yesterday, with the exception of the younger siblings and lionesses who just won't stop flirting with me."

Kiara stiffened for a second. She wasn't used to being called "baby sister" in her life, so it was hard to get used to, but then again, that might've been Tanabi's humorous nature. "Well, that's the life of a lion surrounded by lionesses. You just gotta get used to it."

"Easy for you to say, Kiara. You already have someone." Tanabi shook his head. "Me, I can't seem to find anyone who isn't either flooding me with questions or just completely ga-ga over me."

Kiara gave him a sheepish smile and shrugged. "Can't help you there, big brother. You just have to be patient." She remembered something about her blessing and came forward to Tanabi. "I-I'm sorry…about Daddy giving me the blessing as the next to rule." She found herself stuttering, trying to find the nicest way to say things. "I mean…I-I know you are older than me and the firstborn of the family, but-"

Tanabi held up a paw. "Kiara. I've told Dad this earlier and I will say it again. I really don't feel upset that I won't be the next ruler of the Pride Lands. I really never had ambitions to rule. I just want to live in the pride like Danny did before he became king, that's all." He nudged her jaw with his paw. "You can have the leadership and glory. My plans are simply to be a royal member of the pride. I'll only take the role of leadership if something happens to you."

"Thanks for understanding." She watched the small dots representing Kovu and Simba disappear from her sight and looked back to Tanabi. "Do you wanna go for a walk? I would like to get to know my older brother a little bit more."

Surprisingly, he shook his head. "Honestly, I'd like to take a morning walk by myself. I want to familiarize myself with the lands again." He saw her disappointed expression and headed out. Before leaving, he turned to look over his shoulder at her. "But an afternoon walk with you would be nice."

Kiara's face brightened. "Sounds like a plan. Just don't do anything stupid."

"Not planning on it," came the confident reply.

* * *

Kovu and Simba both stopped at a waterhole on their walk. The people bowed in honor of the king, but reserved suspicious expressions for his companion. Even though it didn't surprise him, Kovu had a sudden feeling of loneliness cloud over him. He felt that Kiara was the only one who looked past all of the trash, to the good inside him. But Simba was making strides to see what his daughter saw, so that made him feel a little better.

The two lions saw many animals, but Kovu spent most of his time looking at the land. It was beautiful, the polar opposite of the Outlands. The grass was soft and lush, with fresh trees and flowers spread all over various patches in the fields. Everything seemed to be perfectly peaceful. "This place is absolutely amazing, Simba." He couldn't think of much else to say. Part of it was no need, but even if there was, he couldn't add much more to it.

Simba nodded and smiled as he looked out at the lands. "Yeah, it is amazing." The king's smile faded into a grimace. "A couple years ago it was a lot different, Kovu." He turned to look at the younger lion. "You should be lucky that you weren't born yet to experience the times, but then again, living in the Outlands can give you an idea of what it was like."

Kovu's eyebrows lifted at hearing this. "Could you tell me about it? Tell me about Scar." He realized he had forgotten his manners and etiquette. "Please, your Highness."

Simba thought about it and turned to head towards a place of the Pride Lands that he rarely went to over the past several years. "Come on. I'll tell you as we go."

Kovu fell in step beside him as Simba began to recall the events and what Danny and his mother told him in his absence with Timon and Pumbaa. "When I was a cub, Danny had recently joined our pride. Things were the same as you see now. Until…" He stopped.

The silence was making Kovu uneasy, and he swished his tail. "Until what?"

Simba's expression darkened. "Until someone screwed it up." He looked at Kovu. "My uncle, Scar, was no longer in line for the throne once I was born. He enlisted the hyena clan as muscle. I don't know exactly when he recruited them, and I'm sure neither Danny nor my mother know either. But I do know they helped him in his plan to undermine and eventually overthrow my father, the late king Mufasa." Simba choked up as he recalled the next events.

Now completely focused on the story, Kovu wanted to know more about what was going on. Already, Simba had said things that Zira never told him. He wanted the complete story of Scar. "What happened?"

The red-maned lion looked up. "We're almost there. I'll show you the place where everything changed…for the worse."

* * *

Nala walked around Pride Rock with Kiara and Xolani. They all needed a break from the lionesses, especially those berating Nala to put in "a good word" for them to her oldest son. While she was glad that the lionesses were attracted to her oldest son, it was becoming irritating when they would constantly ask her to hook them up with him, especially while they were on hunts. When they were hunting for food, that was supposed to be their primary goal.

"If you want to impress Tanabi, then you're going to have to keep your hunting skills intact and your mind on the job," was what the queen usually said. Tavira was the biggest thorn in her side, mainly because she was the prima donna of the younger lionesses and wouldn't take _no_ for an answer. Nala honestly couldn't see Tanabi and Tavira working out together, and she personally didn't want her son to go the hassle of pleasing Tavira.

Kopa, Nala's youngest child, also tagged along with them. He was too busy playing around with the grass and butterflies to listen in to their conversation, but she preferred having him around her and not with any others besides some of the senior lionesses.

Kiara was telling her mother about how well she and Kovu were getting along and how much they loved each other. "We had such a great time with Rafiki. Last night was a night I wouldn't trade for the world."

Nala smiled. "I'm glad you two are doing well together. I think Kovu knows deep down what's the right thing to do. It's just his harsh upbringing that's been the huge hurdle to jump. After all, it's the only thing he knows. Here, he's learning that there's more to life than hate and training."

"I still have my suspicions of him," that was Xolani who replied. "Granted, he hasn't done anything wrong since being here, but it's only been a couple of days. He still has a long way to go before he gains the trust of everyone around here."

"Oh, come on. That's not-" Kiara started to interject, but was cut off by her mother.

"Kiara, I know you see him in a different light," Nala said. "But everyone else is taking longer to see what you see, your father especially. He has the right to be suspicious, especially since Zira incited the rebellion against Simba, took Kovu and Vitani, and raised them both. The last thing any of us want is another Scar protégé running the Pride Lands."

As much as Kiara hated to admit it, her mother was right. Her ears lowered and she frowned, upset and frustrated. "If only Zira hadn't taken them away…"

"We all wish things were different," Xolani came over and put her paw over Kiara's. "Tojo and Kula both were devastated. They had both of their children robbed from them, and they couldn't get them back without risking Zira killing them. It wasn't fair to them, but that's life. You don't always get what you want."

Nala also laid a paw on her daughter. "That being said, I do believe that the Lord has a plan in all of this. We may not always see what He sees, but He is in control."

Kiara smiled and looked up at her. "I take it the whole 'Circle of Life' thing didn't stick with you, Mom?"

"I think that is one of the few things your father and I don't see eye-to-eye on. It's also something he and your Uncle Danny disagreed on as well. Danny was a huge influence on my life when I was younger, when your father and grandfather weren't around. He is definitely a man of faith, but both he and Simba believe in what their fathers taught them. I've heard both, but believe that Danny's beliefs makes much more sense and gives me more assurance than the Circle of Life. One of Danny's many strengths is that he always has faith."

"I miss Uncle Danny…a lot." Kiara sat on her haunches and pawed the ground.

"We all do, and I also miss Mheetu," Nala bumped Kiara's head with her own. "Aside from your uncle and father, Mheetu is one of my closest childhood friends before he was separated from us. We spent our time together when Simba was receiving lessons from his father. We had a blast, and Danny helped out with that."

Xolani looked up at the stars. "I hope they're alright. Danny brought us hope when Scar ruled, and Simba helped cement that hope."

"That makes two of us," Nala said. "All we can do is hope. We also need to hope that Simba and Kovu work things out together. I wouldn't want an unstable situation get worse."

Kiara nodded as they continued walking. _Amen._

* * *

Kovu ran alongside Simba. He was surprised at how energetic and fast Simba was, despite being on the wrong end of seven years old. What's more, he was surprised that he was losing pace with the king. He was three years old, not quite fully matured physically, but he still should've had more stamina than Simba. _Either I'm losing my edge or Simba is more physically fit than I thought. _

It didn't matter soon, as they reached their destination. Kovu barely spent any time here when he was on recon missions, but he knew the place. It was the huge gorge along the northeastern section of the Pride Lands. It was one big canyon, with rock walls all over the place. Kovu glanced at Simba and did a double take. It looked like Simba was tearing up, or at least fighting them back. "Uh, Simba? Are you alright?"

Simba jumped at the question. "Yeah, I'm alright." He jerked his head towards a rock slope along the wall. "Follow me down."

Kovu complied and stayed right behind Simba as they walked down the slope to the base of the gorge. Like the Outlands, it was barren. There was no life or vegetation in it, and the only water source had been blocked up by the logs on one end. Kovu didn't know how they ended up like that, and he was pretty sure that Simba didn't know either. But that was irrelevant; they were here for something else.

Simba began a trot about seventy paces until they came to a lone tree and a small rock jutting out at an incline. He looked back at Kovu. "My uncle brought me here one day. He told me my father had a surprise for me. He left me there and went to go get him. I thought it was going to be something great…" He looked down. "…I was wrong."

Kovu gulped. "What do you mean?"

"Well, Danny came to see me and he seemed worried. But before anything else happened, a huge herd of wildebeests came stampeding down. After a little discussion, Danny and I came to the conclusion that Scar knew where the wildebeests were at and used the hyenas to herd them and force them to go down into the gorge. With nowhere to escape, we ran as far as we could. Danny's leg got caught underneath a falling rock. He told me to keep going."

Kovu exchanged a wry look with Simba. "How did he not get trampled to death?"

Simba smiled faintly. "He was alongside the gorge wall by a corner. The herd managed to avoid him for the most part. One of the last wildebeests knocked him out with his leg." His smile faded. "Anyways, I got caught among the herd and tried to get away by climbing up a dead tree. My father finally came down just as a wildebeest hit the tree and sent me flying."

Kovu let a nervous smile escape. It seemed he like the idea of the king flying in the air, flailing as he went.

"My father caught me in midair and brought me to a safe rock shelf. Even though he was carried off by the herd, he managed to jump up on a steep incline. I climbed to see if I could get a better view. Then…" He trailed off, having a hard time with choking and welling eyes.

The younger lion came forward a little bit. "Then what? What happened next?"

Simba turned to face him. This time, his eyes were red-rimmed. "It happened. Scar threw him off the incline, sending him into the herd below. Follow me." He began running. It was about another half mile up the gorge of exercising their cardio system. They came to the place where it all happened. And on the ground, by the broken tree, was a spot of grass in the ground.

Kovu was a little shocked at what he saw. He really didn't know first-hand what happened, but it was enough to affect him. He pointed at towards the patch of grass. "Is that…what used to be…?"

"Yeah, that was where my father died. That was where he was laid to rest." Simba pointed up at the incline. "He fell from way up there. At the time, I thought it was my fault for his death, and Scar only helped by verbally putting the blame on me. I ran from the Pride Lands that day and didn't return until Danny, Nala, and Rafiki the shaman, convinced me to return."

"I am truly sorry, Simba," Kovu said remorsefully. "I never knew who my real father was. That must eat at you to have watched your own father die. Zira told me that Mufasa was trampled in the stampede, but said it was an accident during morning rounds."

"Figures she would say something like that. But it was no accident from what I saw." Simba sniffed the air and turned tail for the slope they came down into the gorge from. "Come along. As we go, I'll tell you about Scar's downfall, and how the Pride Lands have come to be what they are now."

* * *

Vitani slinked through the grass, blending into the field perfectly. Unlike the rest of the Outsiders, she had a special mission of her own. She wasn't totally on board with Nuka's plan, but she had to admit, he knew how to think them up. Her mission, was to find a possible pest, and dispose of him. If she couldn't do that, keep him at bay. All she was really doing was buying time for the others. Of course, time was against her. If things were set in motion, then unless she happened to catch him, her mission would be over.

The lioness peeked her head slowly up and surveyed the land. So far, it was normal as usual. Herds were grazing, packs were hunting, and a clear sky without a cloud in sight. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary, and she kept moving.

She thought long and hard about what Kovu said to her the other day. It seemed to be crazy to hear that report, especially coming from him. He seemed to be the most on board about Zira's plan a few days ago. Now, he sounded as though he was conflicted. It wasn't just what he heard the Pride Landers' side of the story; it was something else. But it did shake her as well. To hear that Zira might not be their mother was shocking. It seemed crazy, but Kovu seemed pretty sure about himself.

Vitani shook from the thought. "There's no way it's true. It can't be. Then our entire lives would be a waste."

She was so caught up in her babble that she almost didn't even see her target approaching. He was only twenty yards away and he was heading her way. Vitani cursed and ducked low. She kept still and her breathing as shallow as she could. That was a difficult task when she was also trying to bring her heartbeat down too.

Seconds seemed like hours as she remained on the ground, unsheathing her claws and waiting for anything. She brought her ears up, listening for any sounds. Vitani could hear her target coming closer. It sounded like he was only a few feet from her. She held her breath, hoping that she didn't give away her position.

Her target walked even closer, and walked right past her. She slowly let out her breath in relief. Vitani shook her head. _That was too close. I need to focus. That one almost cost me._ Waiting another sixty seconds, she turned around and slowly stalked after him. So far, he had no idea she was behind him.

Vitani closed the distance between them. It was only a matter of time now.

* * *

Tanabi stopped at the waterhole. He needed the walk to himself not just to get time to think, but to remember what the Pride Lands were like. It had been years since he had been here, and he was just a cub then. The extent of his boundaries was only about a mile away from Pride Rock. He had plenty of land to explore and he needed to know every inch of it in order to take a role in its protection.

Most of the people there bowed their heads in respect to him. Even though he had only been back in the Pride Lands a short time, they knew who he was and, as such, treated him like the royalty he was. But he just nodded to them. He really wasn't used to the formal treatment, and he was sure it wouldn't change. He just liked to be treated like a normal creature, not a higher-up prince. But he would get used to it…for now.

He continued on his walk towards an open field. It seemed normal. Herds grazing, packs hunting, and a clear sky with no clouds that he could see. It was peaceful and beautiful, positively serene. Tanabi looked up. "God, it's amazing what you've created here."

Tanabi continued walking through the grass until his ears perked up; he heard something. It was a voice, and he was pretty sure it was female. He looked around. Whoever it was, they were doing a good job at staying hidden. But just as soon as he heard the voice, it ceased just as quickly. He narrowed his eyes as he had a good idea where it was coming from. He slowly walked toward where he thought the source of the voice was.

Sure enough, out of the corner of his eye, was a lioness. She was lying prone, but that was all he could tell. He wouldn't look her way. He knew she was stalking him and he wanted to give her the element of surprise. If he looked her way, she would know he knew she was there, and probably would attack. However, her scent wasn't familiar and she could be a rogue lioness, so Tanabi was going to be careful.

He kept walking down the slope when he heard distant steps behind him. Tanabi wanted to turn and face the lioness, but he wasn't going to give into his temptation just yet. He slowed down his pace, and that's when his instincts began screaming at him to move. It wasn't a matter of temptation, it was a matter of danger. Without any more games, Tanabi fell onto his back.

It couldn't have come any sooner, as he looked up to see an airborne lioness leaping at him. He brought his hind legs up and sent her flying past him. She landed awkwardly and rolled down the slope a little more. Tanabi rolled to his paws, crouched in a fighter's stance. He moved closer just as the lioness struggled to get back on her feet.

She turned to face him, ready to fight. Tanabi smirked. "I figured someone was after me. I didn't think it would be so abrasive a meeting."

"Get used to it, Tanabi," Vitani responded. "It's not going to get any better." She attacked him again, this time she leapt lower. Tanabi caught on and jumped up. This time he landed right on her back as she went underneath him. He used his weight to leap off of her and send her into the ground.

Tanabi whipped around to look at an embarrassed and frustrated lioness. "Nice try. But since you know my name, why don't you tell me yours?"

Vitani was angry. Not only did he fool her into thinking he didn't know she was behind him, he made her _look_ like a fool by jumping off her and driving her into the dirt. She was not used to humiliation like this. Growling, she whirled around to face him again. "I'll kill you!" she hissed.

One of the reasons she was one of the best lionesses in terms of fighting and hunting, was that she learned quickly from her mistakes. Vitani wouldn't attack by leaping. She would have to find a hole in his defense, and exploit it. Moving in, she swiped with her claws. Surprisingly, Tanabi didn't retaliate. Instead, he dodged her swipes. Every time she tried to swipe at him, she ended up with nothing but air. Now, her frustration was getting the better of her. "Hold still, fleabag!"

"Oh, come on…" Tanabi said, dodging a face-raking swipe and rolling to the side. "…let's not…engage in…name-calling." Tanabi blocked a shot with his arm. It barely even hurt him. "Surely, we can find some other solution to this." Her double swipe barely missed his face. "I guess not."

Vitani couldn't believe it. Not only was he trying to avoid a fight, but he was dodging her shots. _This guy is a real piece of work. He's gotten under my skin faster than Nuka ever did, and _that's _saying something. _What she didn't know, at least in her mind anyways, was that she was growing tired with every swipe.

What else she didn't know, was that Tanabi knew that fact. It wasn't just that he didn't want to hurt a lioness, it was a good way to make things easier to defeat her without having to kill her. When Vitani went for another swipe, he ducked and tackled her. He slammed her into the ground, knocking the wind out of her. Tanabi came back up on his feet and squared off with her, with only a tree and lots of field behind him.

Vitani recovered her breath and staggered back to her feet. Now, she was livid. Every breath was forced and her eyes glowed with intensity. "That's it! You've humiliated me enough times today. This ends now!"

She ran and tried for a cross-body tackle. It was one of the ultimate risk-reward attacks. If it hit, the opponent would take a huge hit from the ground and her weight. If it missed, it could lead to disastrous results. Unfortunately, it didn't pay off. Tanabi ducked and rolled under her. With nobody home, Vitani slammed into the tree that was behind Tanabi. The wind was knocked out of her again and she was exhausted. She tried to get up, but winced as a sharp pain in her ribs told her otherwise. _I must've bruised my ribs._

It didn't matter much as Tanabi pounced on her and pressed his sharp claws against her throat. It was over. Vitani, after all of her fighting, failed to complete her mission and was humiliated in doing so. The bruised ribs added insult to injury.

Tanabi stood on top of her and looked at her, and froze. Blue eyes locked with lavender as he found himself dumbstruck at seeing this lioness up close and not under aggressive circumstances. In fact, he found this lioness rather beautiful despite her somewhat scrawny frame. He found himself unable to say nor do anything to her.

Vitani also was unable to break her gaze from Tanabi's blue eyes. She had never felt this way, and was starting to wonder why she couldn't think of anything to say. This was entirely new to her, but it was also frustrating that her body refused to do anything her mind said. The only part of her body that was extremely active was her heart threatening to beat out of her chest. _Come on, Vitani. Get your wits together. He's about to kill you._ She finally managed to speak at noticing that he wasn't doing anything to her. "Uh, w-what are you…waiting for? Aren't you gonna kill me?"

Tanabi finally came back to reality and thought it over. Was he really going to kill this lioness? Deep down in his heart, Tanabi knew it would be wrong. _She might be like Kovu: a lost soul looking for direction._ _This isn't the direction to show her_. He backed off. "No, I'm not going to kill you."

She got up very slowly, trying to avoid causing pain in her ribs. "Why are you showing me mercy?"

That was a good question. One Tanabi didn't have an answer for. "I'm not exactly sure. Something tells me it wouldn't be the right thing to do."

"You know I'll try this again and try to kill you. Why not just kill me now and make it easier on you?"

The red-maned lion shook his head. "Is fighting all you care about doing in life?"

"This is what I've been trained to do since I was a cub. It's who and what I am."

Tanabi walked up to her face. Vitani was almost certain he was going to attack her, but all he said was, "You can be more, much more."

That shook her to the core. Not only because of what he said, but what Kovu said to her the day before. First, she was told Zira might not be her mother. Now, she was being told she could be more. Everything seemed to be rushing through her mind at once, and she felt helpless to find any answers to her questions and thoughts raging in her brain.

Tanabi's ears perked up as heard some distant growling and roaring. It was coming from the edge of the Pride Lands. He sniffed the air, and growled. "Uh-oh, trouble." It was something dangerous, and he needed to help out, whatever the situation might be. He turned to face her. "You should get out of here, before anyone catches you. I gotta get going." He started to run towards the source of the danger.

"Wait!"

Tanabi turned to face the lioness. For the first time, she didn't take an aggressive or defensive stance. Instead, she gave him a smile. One that melted his heart. She took one step forward. "It's Vitani."

He frowned. "Excuse me?"

"You asked what my name is. It's Vitani."

The prince did recall that, and returned the smile. "That's a very nice name." He glanced back at the border and faced her one, last time. "Hope to see you around, Vitani." With that, he headed off for the borders. Despite what happened, he had a feeling he would meet up with her in the future. _I just hope it's on more peaceful terms._

* * *

King and newly integrated lion moved through the grass as Simba and Kovu went on their way to the edge of the Pride Lands. Kovu knew before they even saw it where they were going. His nose immediately picked up the stale scent that he was filled with a couple days ago. The scent of smoke.

Simba had taken him to the place of the fire. On the way there, he had told the story about how they retook the Pride Lands from Scar. He mentioned Scar admitting he killed Mufasa, how he had his chance to let go of his hate, step down and let Simba and Danny rule, and how Scar blamed the hyenas for everything when the tables turned against him. Simba also explained the fight with Danny and himself versus Scar. He told him how Scar died by the hyenas due to him turning against him.

Simba was entering the smoky remains of the lands that were burned down. "So even when he had two chances to turn away from his old ways and accept the consequences, Scar couldn't let go of his hatred, and in the end, it destroyed him. The hyenas realized he was just using them as a means to an ends, and killed him for it. He killed my father, he killed Takiyah and four other lionesses, and even when offered a chance for redemption, his hate got the better of him."

Kovu felt as if his world had crumbled. Everything he was trained for, everything he was brought up on, was a lie. Zira had corrupted his childhood and made Simba out to be a cold-blooded killer who murdered Scar and Danny as a usurping human. "I've…never heard the story of Scar that way. Your father and those lionesses…that is terrible. Zira always told me he was a wise ruler who joined the lions and hyenas together and ruled successfully, until you and Danny undermined and killed him. She never even mentioned the hyenas killing him."

Simba let out a mirthless laugh. "More Zira propaganda influences. In all honest truth, she was never even there. She and Nuka were hiding in some cave, so she wasn't a witness to what happened. She just assumed things and I don't even think she asked anyone what happened; she just believed her assumptions were the truth. That's why she was a perfect match for Scar."

The younger lion shook his head. "He truly was a killer."

Nodding, the king looked around at the destruction caused by the fire. Some trees still stood, but there was absolutely no life nor vegetation here. _At least from sight_. "Fire is a killer, much like what we saw a few days ago." He placed his paw in a pile of soot. "But sometimes what's left behind can grow better than the generation before." He lifted his paw, revealing a small plant. "If given the chance."

"Just like when the pride took the Pride Lands back from Scar, the bone yard grew to be even more beautiful than when Mufasa ruled." Kovu was starting to see the light of the whole situation, but he was still conflicted. He wasn't sure if he should obey his orders or not, but Simba had pretty much diffused anything Zira said about him.

Unfortunately, his conflicts became even more clouded, as an evil laugh he knew all too well, echoed throughout the area. Kovu tensed. _No, not now._ This was the last thing he wanted. Slowly, silhouettes of lions appeared, and then those silhouettes materialized into lionesses. Kovu looked all around, and saw that he and Simba were surrounded. He looked at Simba. The king growled and assumed a defensive stance.

Kovu looked ahead to see two familiar faces: Nuka and Zira. Vitani was not present, and that confused Kovu. He would've figured she would definitely be there, but she wasn't. It was a minor concern since they had a handful of lionesses and one lion to deal with. Even though lions were stronger than lionesses, the Outsiders were more than a match for two lions. _What do I do? What do I do?_

"Why, Simba…" Zira cackled. "…what are doing out here? And so alone?"

Simba bared his teeth. "Zira. I should've figured you would try something like this."

Zira ignored him and looked at Kovu. _This statement should make it look like he was with us the whole time, in spite of his suspected change of allegiance. _"Well done, Kovu. Just as we always planned."

Simba went from anger to surprise. _What?_ He glared at Kovu. "You!"

Before Kovu could say anything in his defense, Zira acted quickly. "Pin him now!"

Eight lionesses pinned Simba before he could even react. They pressed him against a rock, preventing him from escaping. He tried to squirm his way out, but it did no good. Their combined weight was too much for him to overcome. This decent day for Kovu now had turned into a living nightmare.

Zira walked toward Simba. "So Simba, how does it feel to take defeat lying down?" The other lionesses laughed at the remark. Simba just sneered at her in defiance. She looked at Kovu. "You know what to do, Kovu."

Kovu tried to get out of the situation. "Uh, Simba might have backup. We should leave now."

Zira nodded. "Yes, we should." She pointed at Simba. "As soon as you eliminate this usurping vermin."

Kovu unsheathed his claws in order to compose himself. "He is _defeated_. It is unnecessary."

The lioness pulled her trump card out. "Call it a final test of loyalty."

Kovu was in a logjam now. He looked at the other lionesses. They all looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to make the strike and kill Simba. He knew if he didn't do this, he would definitely die as well. He really wished some of the lionesses went with him and Simba; it would make his decision a lot easier. Unfortunately, it wasn't the case and wishful thinking wasn't going to get him anywhere.

He moved forward to get closer to Simba. Zira backed up to he could finish the job. Kovu looked down at the king, not knowing what to think or say. Simba looked up him. "I always knew you were a stinkin' Outsider."

That hurt Kovu more than the king knew. He was hoping he would officially be a part of the Pride Landers, but now that seemed bleak. Kovu raised his paw for the strike. Simba looked at him, wondering if he would follow through with this crime. Kovu bared his teeth, trying to fight to make up his mind. Either way, he would never be the same again.

Then something Danny said before he left made him hesitate. _Make sure you do the right thing before it's too late. Once you make a critical decision, there's no turning back from it. _

Kovu recalled that statement, and now it raced through his mind. _Is this the right thing?_ He looked into Simba's eyes and he saw the same frightened expression he had inside of himself. After sorting through everything, he realized what the right thing was, and this was a critical decision he would not be able to turn back from. He slowly lowered his paw back to the ground.

The move stunned everyone, but none more surprised than Simba. _Why is he not killing me?_ Whatever anyone called it, he couldn't think of anything to say. Something told him that Kovu's allegiances were now with the Pride Landers.

Kovu heard paws behind him. He glared and swung his foreleg around to block Zira's. He growled in response to her own. The whole shock of Kovu refusing to kill Simba was enough for the lionesses on Simba to loosen their position and balance on him. He sensed it, and it was all he needed to fight his way back to his feet. The lionesses tried to keep him down, but it was a futile effort; he finally had the advantage to break loose and was going to make them pay for it.

Looking back at Zira, he glared at her. "Your hatred has made you insane, Zira. You will destroy both Pride Lander and Outsider, and the legacy of all who came before."

Zira broke her block of Kovu's paw and stepped back. "You think you can escape your destiny? You were meant to take Scar's place."

"My destiny was a lie, and I want nothing more to do with a killer like Scar. You never told me that Scar turned this place into a wasteland, you never told me that the hyenas killed Scar after he betrayed them."

Now the other lionesses looked at Zira, wondering what he was talking about. She pointed at him. "You mean to tell me that you were foolish enough to believe Simba and Danny's lies?" She stared daggers at Simba. "You are going to pay with your life for what you've done to Kovu." She looked from side to side to see all of her pride lined up, ready to fight. "Since we've got you both where we want you, I don't think that will be too difficult." Zira looked at her pride. "Attack!"

Both Simba and Kovu retaliated. Kovu had three lionesses, but the majority went for Simba. Both had no problem fighting the Outsiders off, but Simba was losing his battle. He couldn't handle ten lionesses by himself, despite his tenacity and determination. It also left him unable to see Nuka come in from his side and spear him in blindsiding fashion. The hit was enough to knock Simba down the wall into the gorge. On the way down Simba's shoulder landed on a rock pillar, causing extreme pain in that area.

That was just on the way down. He landed on his side, knocking the wind out of him and causing damage to his limbs and chest. The pain was excruciating, but Simba had no air to scream in agony. He was now in big trouble, and the others knew it. Kovu, who just finished off his last opponent, saw Simba at the bottom of the gorge, struggling to get up. "Simba! I'm coming!"

He just barely avoided a swipe from one of the lionesses as he slid down the wall's slope and ran to Simba's aid. "Here, let me help you."

Simba placed himself over Kovu as the latter lion lifted him up.

"Yes! We've got them." Zira said, happy and excited that her revenge was at hand. "Remember your training as a unit. Strike with precision and coordination. Take them now."

Kovu watched the lionesses slide down the wall, ready to get their claws on the two lions. Kovu realized they couldn't make it with him carrying the king, and started shoving Simba. "Come on, Simba. We've got to move. Let's go!"

The two lions ran as fast as they could, but what they gained in strength, they lacked in speed. The lionesses had no trouble making up the ground to catch up. Thankfully, their fundamentals needed some refinement, namely their mistaking problems. Every time one of them got on top of either lion, they shook them off or kicked them with their hind legs.

They knew this couldn't last forever, and Simba was only able to run on pure adrenaline. Sooner or later, it would wear off and the pain would return in full force. His head was pounding and it would only get worse. He was certain he had a light concussion and possibly a dislocated shoulder, not to mention damage to his ribs. _That was quite a fall_.

It didn't take long for them to realize they were running out of space. Up ahead, Kovu noticed the logjam at the end of the gorge. He needed to think fast and improvise. With only one option, he shouted over to Simba. "We need to climb up the logs."

"Got it," was the reply he got.

Both of them scrambled up the wood pile. For the most part, they were able to get some good climbing spots. But they had some slips in their footing, and sent a few logs down to greet the Outsiders. Kovu was making great progress, but Simba was going really slow. The adrenaline was finally lowering, and the pain was making it difficult for him to climb.

The Outsiders didn't make a move, mainly because they weren't sure what to do. That is, except for the only one foolish enough to advance. Nuka jumped up and began climbing. "I'll go get them." He glanced back. "This is for you, Mother!" He began climbing up and closing in on the wounded king. "I'm doing this for you and I'm doing it for me." This was his big opportunity to prove himself worthy to be king and would fulfill that by killing Simba.

Kovu was near the top of the log pile. "Finally, I made it. Gotta get-whoa!" The log Kovu's legs were on broke under his weight. Kovu realized there was nothing but the same, long fall Simba enjoyed a few minutes ago. _I'm not gonna make it. Even if I survive this fall, the Outsiders-_He was surprised and a little disappointed when he noticed he wasn't going anywhere. He looked up, and smiled to see another familiar-faced lion. "Hey, what took you so long?"

Tanabi returned the smile. "I stopped to cancel my date. You know how impolite it is to cancel a date without explaining to her." He looked down to see his father climbing up, and who was right behind him. "Nuka! That conniving son of a-"

Simba let out a roar of pain as Nuka's claws finally came within reach and dug into Simba's leg. Nuka sneered evilly. "This is my moment of glory, and now…I'm gonna kill you, Simba."

The king clutched onto the log he was about to climb on. He looked up at Kovu. "Kovu, help me!" The log he was holding onto was starting to crack, and would break soon under the combined weight of Simba and Nuka. If something wasn't done, the king wasn't going to make it out alive.

Kovu looked back up at Tanabi and winked at him. "Let's get the drop on Nuka, shall we?"

"My pleasure." Tanabi released his grip on Kovu and let the lion fall.

Kovu knew what to do and braced himself. His only worry was that he was going to get his leg caught up in the logs and twist an ankle or even break a leg. He aimed so that his legs would connect on Nuka, but he had to be careful of hitting Simba. "Simba, look out!"

Simba saw the danger and shifted to the side. Nuka, with his paw clinging to Simba, was left unprotected. He gulped as he saw Kovu coming in on a dead drop from the top. Kovu slammed into Nuka hard, causing the frail lion to lose grip on Simba and be sent falling down below. Some logs fell down with Nuka and pinned him. Simba and Kovu resumed their climbing, sending some more logs down to the Outsiders.

Nuka, who was trying to get himself free, looked up. His eyes widened as he saw the logs falling his way. With no time to get out, he let out a gurgling cry as the logs landed right on top of him. The entire crash left a cloud of smoke, blocking either side's view of the other. The battle was over.

Simba and Kovu reached the top and were helped up by Tanabi. Both Kovu and Simba regained their breath, their bodies finally realizing they were running on reserves. They were safe and, for the moment, free of the Outsiders. It was a tough battle, but they managed to fight off long enough to escape.

Tanabi shook his head. "I didn't know you guys wanted a little excitement for the day. If you were that bored, I could've thought up something for you that would be less dangerous."

"Whatever that means," Kovu replied, not quite getting the joke. "Just glad you showed up when you did."

"Me too," Simba limped over to Kovu. "Why didn't you kill me? I thought you were with them."

Kovu sighed. _I hope this goes well._ "Initially, I was. I was actually going to come to Kiara about this earlier this morning, but you wanted to talk to me. My orders were to get accepted into the pride and gain your trust. Once I was close enough, I was to kill you, then Tanabi, and take over the pride." He caught a surprised and somewhat amused look from Tanabi. _Saw that one coming._

He looked back at Pride Rock, which looked like a distant spec in the eye. "But since I've been here, I learned there is much more to life than training, orders, and fighting. There is love, peace, and joy. Those were things I've never experienced." Kovu glanced back down at the gorge. "And if I killed you, I would be just like Scar. I don't want to have anymore to do with him. I want to be with you and Kiara and everyone else here."

Simba smiled. "You know, Kovu, I was wrong. You do belong here, and you have gained my trust. Welcome home, Pride Lander."

The younger lion smiled. "Thank you, Simba. This means a lot to me."

Tanabi waved his paw up. "Okay, okay. Enough with the sentimental, mushy-gushy crap. I think we've had enough excitement for one day. I say we go home, Pops."

"Good idea. Let's…" Simba never finished, as his wounds and concussion caught up to him. His vision faded into blackness and back to consciousness. The pain from the wounds all compounding his mental facilities, and as tough as he was, it was to much to overcome. Staggering around for a few moments, he lost consciousness completely and fell to the ground in a heap.

Tanabi and Kovu rushed to his aid. Tanabi looked at Kovu incredulously. "What happened to him? I didn't think a claw to the leg would do this."

Kovu shrugged. "Let's just say we didn't escape without a scratch, no pun intended. Now help me with him." Both Kovu and Tanabi lifted Simba up and carried him on their back as they made their way back to the Pride Lands. They had a story to tell and a report to make. Some of it was good, but it was going to be mostly bad.

"I hope Danny is doing better than we are," Tanabi remarked.

* * *

Zira climbed up and began pushing the logs out of her way. For the first time in her life, she was concerned for her son Nuka. The fall he took was terrible, but the logs that buried him underneath were even worse in terms of damage. The entire plan went wrong, and it started with Kovu.

She thought she had him in a place where he would have too much pressure to not kill Simba. But he refused, confirming that he was now a Pride Lander. It went downhill from there. Even though Simba was badly injured, he managed to escape. All the plotting and scheming for the last three years went down the drain for the Outsiders, and on top of that, Nuka was buried.

The matriarch of the Outsiders growled. _Kovu and Simba will pay with their lives for this. _She lifted a huge log that finally revealed Nuka. Her son was coughing and barely moving. Zira could clearly tell he was in a life-threatening condition. "Nuka."

Nuka's voice was barely audible, but it was enough for Zira to hear him. "I-I-I'm sorry, M-Mother." Zira put her paw on his face and gently quieted him down. She wanted him to save his strength to survive. He ignored it, knowing that he was a goner. "I tried." And with one final breath, Nuka was gone.

Zira was stricken with grief. Her only child was now dead. She wanted to cry, but the tears never came. There were no words to describe the pain she was feeling once more. Her love was dead, the lion she trained had crossed over to the other side, and now she had lost Nuka. She hung her head and sniffed. "Scar, watch over my poor Nuka."

"Mother."

Zira turned to face Vitani, hoping for some good news. She tried to compose herself, but was sure everyone could see the pain on her face. "Your report."

Vitani shook her head. "I'm sorry, Mother. Tanabi surprised me and defeated me. I barely made it away." The lioness didn't want to explain that Tanabi spared her. The last thing she needed was for Zira to think she had joined the Pride Landers. She was, however, expecting Zira to shout or hit her or tell her she needed to work on her focus, but all Zira did was nod soberly. "What's wrong, Mother?"

"Nuka is dead."

Vitani acted as if she couldn't believe her ears, and the sudden movement made the pain in her chest return, causing her to wince. "He's dead?" Zira jerked her head behind her, obviously not wanting to look at her son again without feeling the urge to cry again. Vitani walked up and looked down at Nuka's still, lifeless body. "Nuka…" She closed her eyes and shook her head. _Why? Why is this all happening? _She turned back to Zira. "What do we do now?"

Zira's anger returned in full fury. "Plan our revenge." She jumped up onto a higher rock so that she could see all of the Outsiders. "Simba has hurt me for the last time, and now he's corrupted Kovu to his twisted ways." All of the lionesses gathered closer to her as she spoke with eagerness. "Listen to me, Simba is injured and weak. Danny is off on a suicide mission with the sentinels. _Now _is the time to attack. I have had enough with the subtle tactics. We will take their entire kingdom _by force!_"

Her response was a huge, spirited roar from every lioness present. All except for Vitani. She was now wondering whether what they were doing was worth all of this. First, Kovu gave her a shocking report. Then, Simba's son beat her and spared her life. What Tanabi said to her, about being much more than what she was, was beginning to make her question her duties to the Outsiders and the entire cause.

Were they part of the solution? Or were they part of the problem? Either way, no matter which they were, this was going to get settled tonight for the battle for the Pride Lands once and for all.

**Sorry, Nuka fans. Just like Tojo and Mheetu, it had to happen in my story. Hope this chapter was, at the very least, satisfactory.**


	23. Heart of a Champion: Field of Screams

**Hey, everyone. Long time no speak. I'm heading back to Danny's side so that I can mesh up him and Simba again. Sorry about the long wait, I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

The cell room was quiet, at first. With only security and a group of lionesses as prisoners, it wasn't surprising. The lionesses were no longer growling and roaring, much to the guards' relief. They had been watching the video screens of the events taking place, particularly outside. Multiple camera screens showed the lions that Danny was leading on the rescue mission, with some showing the scenes at different angles.

Now, the cell bay was filled with cries and roars of pain. The lionesses all watched as Tojo and Mheetu were shot and burned alive, and four of the six had their worlds shattered. Kula and Shani broke down crying, unable to cope with the reality that their mates were, in fact, dead. Berhane and Ebere, the two mothers who watched their sons die, weren't much better off. Sarabi and Aziza tried to comfort them, but the latter was now stricken that the same fate might await Chumvi as well.

Sarabi was wondering how Danny was faring. She hadn't seen any screens showing Danny during the whole battle. While she was partially relieved, knowing that he was still alive and driving deeper inside, she also felt worried. The last thing she wanted was to have a son taken from her again.

While Aziza tried to comfort the other four, Sarabi paid close attention to the screens. The fires were setting the entire forest ablaze, and the only avenue of escape was cut off. The surviving lions would have to improvise. _God, please help them._

Danny's voice was screaming over the speakers through his radio. "Does anyone hear me? You all have to get out before they can block out any escape. Tojo, Malka, you two rally somewhere in-"

"He's dead, Danny," Malka interjected flatly. "So is Mheetu. Tupac and I watched them get burned by one of Dasyu's soldiers. From the looks of him and the behavior of the other soldiers towards him, he seems important."

Chumvi's angered tone crackled through the communications. "Yeah, we'll see how important he is when I rip his friggin' throat out!"

"Easy, Chumvi. We're working our way back into the forest. Rally at the water point, everyone."

"Okay, Malka," Danny said, suddenly sounding tired. "You guys try to get them to follow you and try to lose them for a little while. Now, I know my channel is open for anyone to hear, so I'm cutting it short. I'll radio you if it's an emergency. You can keep talking and I'll be listening. I'll try to help out as best as I can."

"Roger that. Malka out."

Sarabi shook her head. _They should never have come for us. I wish we had never gone out on our hunt that far from Pride Rock. _She snapped out of her trance. Wishful thinking and playing the "what if" game wasn't going to get them anywhere. It happened and there was nothing she could do about that. She fell down on her belly and closed her eyes, and prayed that the rest would make it out okay.

* * *

Danny put his radio onto his pocket. Outside, he wore an impenetrable expression. Inside, his heart was cut in two and his blood was boiling. He was angered at the deaths of Tojo and Mheetu. They were brothers to him, and his anger was more at himself than anything. If he had only reached the radio before the soldiers came in and blocked his way to the device, he might've just tipped off the others in time to avoid costing Tojo and Mheetu their lives. The only thing he could do was press on and hope the others would fare better.

The soldiers had burst through, but he mowed them down with near ease. The problem was that there were so many of them, and that cost him valuable time. It also drained the last of his M60. The old, heavy weapon had served him well when he needed it. Now, he had to part ways and drop the weapon. He was now down to his shotgun and pistol. Even though he had less weight holding him down, a shotgun and pistol were not enough to infiltrate a facility like this. He needed to grab another weapon. In close quarters combat, he could holdout with his current weapons. But he wanted to save his pistol for emergency situations, and it didn't need to get that way right now.

"Crap…of all the times to need the M4. I wish I had it here." Danny swore. He scavenged the soldiers to find a bunch of TAR-21's, a few TDI Vector submachine guns, and a couple of H&K G36s. Danny immediately opted for a G36, taking one with an AG36 grenade launcher attachment. It could come in handy once he entered the hangar. He grabbed nine magazines, ten with the one already loaded in the magazine well.

He checked his gear. The neckband radio could still receive transmissions, but he was no longer able to speak through it thanks to the lucky shot by the guy in the reactor room. _I'm glad you helped me out with the information, buddy. But it would've been nice to just shoot to get my attention without destroying my transmitter._

The door was already opened, so Danny just walked through. He needed to walk to the elevator to head up to the hangar. The emergency power had kicked in, and the whole corridor was lit with a dim hue of red. Danny slung the G36 over his shoulder and went with the shotgun. He was in close quarters, so he would use it until he reached the hangar. _It won't be long, but I hope to use it until the '36 is absolutely needed._

Danny reached the elevator and was going for the button, when he noticed that the elevator was already on its way down. He gulped. _Either someone was one their way down, or someone else was waiting to get in the elevator and go to whatever level they would go to. _Danny aimed his shotgun. He knew what the answer was. "Okay, time to get dirty." A part of him wanted the elevator to go down past him, but he knew Dasyu better than that.

The elevator car stopped at his level and opened up. Eight soldiers looked up to see a lone man toting a big-gauge shotgun at them. "Wrong floor."

Danny wasted no time, firing his shotgun and pumping out shells with manic intensity. The close distance of the two parties coupled with the shotgun resulted in each soldier being sent flying into the back wall of the elevator car. One of them did get a shot off, but it just grazed his arm. If that happened years ago, it would've felt like a thousand ants crawling into his arm. With his muscular build and stamina now plus the rush of adrenaline, it felt like nothing more than a paper cut.

Danny shrugged. "It's not like I wouldn't get a scratch from this." He slung his shotgun and brought the G36 around to bear. He was pretty sure the hangar would be anything but close quarters, so he wouldn't be able to use the shotgun. Danny hit the button for the floor up, according to Gyro's information. He braced himself. This was going to be anything but a cakewalk. Adrenaline jolted through him, but he was, in all honest truth, scared. A queasiness in his stomach started to rise and he did his best to quell it. _Come on, can't let this get to me._

As the elevator stopped, Danny aimed down his sights, keeping his left eye open to spot anything to his side. For the most part, everyone was scrambling to go somewhere. Mechanics were busy fixing damaged vehicles, namely tanks. Pilots were situating themselves in their cockpits, many getting ready to take off. Soldiers were heading out to dig in by the hangar doors. Thankfully, none were focused on the lone intruder right at the moment. Danny noticed the far side of the bay was an enormous opening in the rocks and dirt. That revealed a long docking hangar that housed a couple dozen fighters and transports. Danny cringed. _Dasyu's definitely packing an air force in this mountain. Lord knows what else is inside this place._

The closest cover was a huge pile of supply crates, but it was more than enough to hide behind. Danny peered around to see what was going on. Outside, it was getting dusky as the sun was setting. The hangar was getting dark, but not dark enough to turn on the main interior lights. That was a window of advantage Danny would have to take now. Distant rumbling indicated that a thunderstorm was on the way.

So far, no one seemed to notice his presence at all. The entire hangar crew was active, meaning they knew Danny was around, but not exactly sure where. At least _something_ was going right for him. "Okay, let's see where those prison bays are…" He pulled out his monocular and looked around. Sure enough, there was the prisoner complex off to his left and opposite the hangar bay doors. The heavy security doors and two guards posted outside were dead giveaways, and the small sign above the doors reading "Prisoner Cell Bays" gave it away.

There was just one problem. It was a decent distance away from his position. And with very little cover for him to hide behind in between the two points, he was going to need more than stealth. He was going to need a distraction. A lot of the forces were already out hunting down Malka and the others, but there was still a sizable force in the hangar. The Blade fighters couldn't do much good in the hangar, but the two tanks inside would. They looked damaged and were in need of repair, most likely from his shooting earlier, when he took out the refueling stations outside. Danny also noticed some sort of Humvee-like vehicles being fueled to head out and search for him and the lions.

What's more, he noticed they were near a bunch of tanks. They were most likely carrying jet and diesel fuel, and a familiar idea popped into Danny's head. He smirked. "I may not have a sniper rifle, but let's see how a grenade works." He pulled out the AG36's launcher sights. Even though he was trained with military tactics and able to handle a weapon, he was not apt at firing grenade launchers. He did know, however, that you can't just fire straight ahead like a rifle. It would have to be an angled shot. He aimed as best as he could at the fuel tanks, and slowly squeezed the trigger.

Unlike the regular barking reports of the rifle, the launcher let out a muffled _thoomp _as the grenade arced in the air and came down on top of the closest fuel tank. The result was a deafening explosion that enveloped the majority of the Humvees and took out the two damaged tanks. A lot of personnel were caught and killed in the sudden explosion. The force of the blast buckled the walls to the docking hangar, and the rocks caved in the opening.

The blast's concussive force also succeeded on sending Danny back into the wall. His head rebounded off the wall and he landed face first into the floor. Now, his head and ears were screaming bloody murder at him. All his hearing was muffled and his vision was fading in and out. That was something he hated, especially in this situation. If he went out, he was screwed. _Come on, Danny. You gotta fight through this. _Despite his mind yelling at him, Danny staggered to his feet and grabbed the G36. "Okay, maybe that was a bad idea," he said. Or at least, he thought he said it.

A dull, klaxon sound now went off in his half-deaf ears. Even though his mind couldn't process the familiarization of the sound, the flashing red lights told him immediately that the alarm had been sounded. Soldiers all around were staggering to regain their senses and bearings. There were very few vehicles to pose a threat, but there were still quite a few soldiers in the hangar. Thankfully, there were enough rocks covering the opening to the docking hangar. There was still some space, but no ship would get through that. Danny aimed his G36 and fired at the closest enemies.

The rifle cracked a muffled report in Danny's ears. The first few shots went wide because of the pain in his head, but he started to shift over and dropped three soldiers. Everyone around heard the muffled shots, but couldn't tell where they were coming from. Eventually, some of them saw the barrel flash of a rifle on the elevator side of the hangar, and brought their weapons to bear on the intruder. Danny took the last seconds of confusion to drop two more soldiers and reload his grenade launcher.

Soon, the rest of the soldiers in the hangar noticed that one person was not on their side and all converged on Danny's position. Danny aimed and launched another grenade at a close group of soldiers. Unlike his first shot, this one sailed too far. It did take out one soldier behind them, but to Danny, it was wasted ammo for a grenade on one soldier in the open. One advantage he had was that he was behind cover while the soldiers were scrambling for some-a couple of them even used their fallen comrades as protection.

One soldier primed a flashbang grenade and tossed it Danny's way. It was close enough to affect him but too far to reach before it would explode. Danny cursed and turned his back to the grenade just as it went off. His ears were deafened once more, but he could at least see. A few soldiers believed he was disoriented and rushed to his position. Danny brought his weapon up and made five soldiers pay.

Another came at him, this one from a much closer range. Danny aimed his sights on the kamikaze soldier and pulled the trigger. _Click!_ It was empty. Again, Danny swore and brought up his M9 pistol to bear. He emptied over half his clip due to panic, but he managed to kill the soldier as he came within five feet of him. He dropped right next to Danny, who was trying to keep from looking in the dead robot's face. He wasn't human, but it had the same effect.

"That was too close," Danny said, exhaling a breath he had been holding a little too long. This was insane. He needed to get out of here and draw Dasyu out. He wanted to cut off the head of the snake and rescue his pride. He looked down at the body of the warrior he had just killed. Attached to his hip was a silvery, rectangular object. Upon closer examination, he realized it was a taser, much the same as the one he had. He didn't bring his, but he might have some use for this one. "You could come in handy." He slipped it into his boot and let his pants cover the top of it.

He got back up to see a soldier coming around the corner. Danny fired his pistol. He found out he only had three shots left and it didn't kill the soldier, but it did make him fall. Danny frantically grabbed his pistol magazine and fumbled with it in his hand. "Come on, stupid thing. Get in the well!"

The soldier was still conscious and was reaching for his pistol, which had slid a foot away from him. He reached with all his strength and willpower to grab it and kill the human invader. Danny saw that and tried to hurry without freezing up. If he didn't load and fire, he was a dead man. The soldier finally grabbed it and aimed at Danny just as the man loaded the clip into the pistol and cocked it. Danny looked up and froze. _I'm dead._

The soldier grinned. "See ya." He wasted no time and pulled the trigger. However, there was one thing he hadn't accounted for. He had a loaded clip to fire his pistol, but he forgot to turn his safety switch off. "What the fu-"

That was all he got out, as Danny fired his pistol and rewarded the soldier's fatal mistake with a bullet to the head. Danny sighed again, trying to calm down and keep cool. "And that's why you guys lost to me the first time. You have poor fundamentals."

He returned to fire back at his opponents. Despite his early advantage, there were too many of them. He could pick them off a little by a little, but eventually they would roll in a tank or get a sniper in position to take him out. Heck, they were probably doing the latter right now. Danny mowed down four more soldiers who were trying to run across the hangar to get to some cover. _Four down, dozens more to go._

Danny decided to go for something that probably wouldn't work, but had a chance of him succeeding in at least one of his main objectives. He pulled out his radio. It was an open channel so everyone was bound to hear it. "Listen, Dasyu. You and I both know I'm not here to derail your operation." That was a lie, for the most part. He really just wanted to kill Dasyu and free his pride members; after that, he didn't care. But part of him didn't want some other psycho prima donna taking over and finishing what he started. "All I want is you. If you want me, come see me yourself. Don't send these jokes you call soldiers to face me."

He fired back at a few soldiers who were coming too close. "You know it's better for you to take me on yourself. Look at what's happened when left in the control of your cronies here. You can make it easier on all of us if you just come out and face me like a man…" He remembered what Dasyu was and corrected himself. "…sort of."

There was still no answer. Danny fired back at two soldiers that tried to get to a higher position, and then realized he was down to his last magazine for his G36, with two grenades left. He fired one of his grenades at a trio of soldiers that were trying to crawl their way towards his spot. He unloaded the grenade shell and popped in the last one. Aiming at one of the few vehicles firing on him, he fired the grenade, but the proximity of the enemy fire caused him to flinch a little. It was more than enough for him to miss his target, but the grenade exploded close enough to kill the gunner of the humvee.

Grabbing the radio, Danny kept his voice as cool as possible and sounding a little amused. "I know you can hear me, Dasyu."

A voice came over the radio, but it wasn't Dasyu's. "Danny, this is Zainabu. Are you close to freeing Sarabi and the others?"

"Not exactly, Zee. I've got a bit of a mess here," Danny responded rather abrasively.

"Are you under fire, Danny?"

Danny fired back at a group of charging soldiers. "Heh, who isn't?"

"Are you…okay?"

Now Danny smiled in sarcastic fashion. "Oh, yeah. Other than being shot at by the Electric Mayhem, I'm doing alright. I can't talk right now. I'll contact you later."

Suddenly, the soldiers in the rear began grabbing short, tubular weapons. Danny wasn't sure what they were, but his gut told him the situation was about to get a whole lot messier. The soldiers fired, and arcs of smoke came down on his position behind the crates, and he realized they were gas grenades. Danny snarled. "Not fair," he said through gritted teeth.

He covered his nose with his shirt and returned fire with his last magazine. He kept fire in short controlled bursts, but the soldiers were steadily moving forward now. They appeared to be wearing masks of some kind, which gave them an advantage. The gas was all around him now, and his vision was limited. The G36 clicked empty, and he tossed it out in hopes of hitting a soldier. He wasn't sure, but he hoped he had.

He pulled out his shotgun and loaded two screecher shells in the big gauge. Danny fired, and everyone's ears got another deafening taste of loud noises. It made the soldiers slow down, to which Danny brought his M9 out and fire on them. He picked up his M1014 and began loading more shells in to get ready for the next assault. Once fully loaded he realized he had a problem.

His vision wasn't limited because the gas was in front of his sights. The gas was having an effect on him. It wasn't tear gas or a normal smoke grenade. It was some sort of chemical grenade that was making him lose coordination and his neural network. Danny couldn't focus on aiming down his sights. He just fired in random directions. _I can barely think. I gotta get out of here._

Getting up and retreating was easier said than done. Danny was stumbling and falling back down over and over. He got up and fired his shotgun at anything that moved. Everything seemed to be slowing down for him and it almost looked as though he could see the shells streaking away from the gun and watching where they would go.

Soon, darkness began to nibble at the corners of his vision. Everything started going black. He fell down against a wall. _No! Gotta…fight…through this…_ No matter how hard he tried, he was fading fast. The last thing he saw were troops closing in on him. Then his world went spinning-

Dark.

* * *

Malka and Tupac ran away from the tree line to head back to where Chumvi and Zainabu were waiting for them. They had just watched Tojo and Mheetu get cremated at their fallback point. Tupac was hurt, but not as hurt as Malka was. While Malka's didn't know Tojo as much as the others might have, Mheetu's loss crushed at him. They had been friends since they were cubs. Danny had sent him to Malka's kingdom back when it was run by his father, the late king Aren. To see one of his closest friends get shot and burned caused an invisible hand to squeeze his heart.

Tupac noticed and tried to comfort him. "Hey, Malka. I know it hurts to lose someone. I just lost my father a few days ago, so I know how it feels."

"It doesn't make it any easier, kid."

"I wish we could have the time to catch a breather and look back on this." Tupac pointed back behind them with a paw. "But we don't. Not with a bunch of gun-toting morons behind us and our friends waiting to link up with up ahead."

Malka picked up his pace and Tupac followed suit. They needed as much distance as they could between them and the enemy when they reunited with the others. All of them were hoping they had bought enough time for Danny to make it in and rescue the others. He leaned down and spoke into his neckband. "Zainabu, where are you at?"

"Chumvi and I are near the waterhole. Haraka is on his way here. It won't be long before-wait, I think I see you…yeah, we're to your right. I mean, your left."

Malka looked to his left side. Sure enough, Zainabu was standing in between a gap of trees with Chumvi sitting behind her. "Alright, we're coming to you." They ran quickly to the waterhole. Malka didn't realize until that point that he was extremely hot. The fires had already spread through nearly two-thirds of the forest, and they had been in those two-thirds the entire time. His black mane didn't help either. _I feel like I ran for days and decided to rest in the desert with no waterhole in sight._

He came to the waterhole and drank what he could, while he could. After refreshing himself, he looked at the lion and lioness. Zainabu's expression was one of soberness, anguish, pretty much pure despair. She had lost two friends and fellow pride members, so the expression was to be expected. Chumvi was another story. His expression was full of anger and hatred for what had happened. He didn't just lose two friends, he lost two brothers. Mheetu and Tojo were practically family to him, and losing them made him very angry.

Malka decided to break the silence. "Alright, has everyone drank some water?"

There was an awkward silence before Zainabu answered. "We've all had some water. I'd say the soldiers will start pushing in. Thankfully, that means going through the part of the forest that isn't on fire."

"I say we let them come," Chumvi said, bitterly. "We should lie in wait for them and ambush them. Take out as many as we can and hope that stalls them off long enough."

"Chumvi, I know how you feel about losing them, but that will only shorten the window of time for Danny."

"Who cares? We all know the likelihood of us making it out alive is slim at best. I say we just take out all we can find. They're not going away unanswered for what they did."

Tupac placed a paw on Chumvi. "Sir, I wish we could bring all of them to justice. But the fact of the matter is that there is far too many of them. The only way to defeat them is to buy Danny time to free your pride members and blow the place with his…bombs…that he has."

"Tupac's right," Malka added in. "We have to stay focused and complete the mission."

Haraka came running as fast as he could from behind them, panic on his face. "Guys, we need to move now. The enemy is right behind me. I don't know when they'll-"

His statement was interrupted by missiles and RPG's striking all around them. Everyone hit the ground and lay low. Trees were blown into wooden splinters and the ground was being upturned as the barrage continued on them. Trees started falling all around them and the waterhole was spraying water everywhere from a couple shots landing in the drinking source for the felines. Whoever was tailing Haraka was a lot closer than they would've guessed.

Malka began crawling away from the place. "Come on! We have to move NOW! Everybody run!" He got up and took off.

The others followed suit and ran in step right behind him. Trees and grass were blowing up everywhere, and all of them hoped a rocket wouldn't hit them. Some of them ducked instinctively at the suspicion of an explosion or the whistle of flying ordinance near them. The only part of the forest that wasn't ablaze in flames was now an upturned location of disaster. The only one who was having little difficulty outrunning the danger zone was Haraka. Being a cheetah, his natural speed gave him an advantage the others didn't have. Zainabu was moving faster than the other lions despite her age because she was lighter and didn't have a mane holding her back.

Malka, Tupac, and Chumvi were trying hard to keep up without passing out. Chumvi had always been a fast for a male lion, and it showed when he outdistanced the other two. Malka and Tupac were doing their best, having to zig zag to make themselves harder targets. They were coming close to the edge of the accurate range of the barrage. They could even see some rockets flying way too far and high, and they knew the soldiers knew the lions didn't have wings. Their accuracy was fading badly with distance.

Soon, the barrage stopped and they were given a brief reprieve. Malka slowly got up. One of the last rockets came close enough to daze him. He felt as if his head was swimming in a lake with no end. _Well, this is just great. The whole forest's exploding and now I can barely hold a thought._ Looking around, Malka saw Zainabu and Tupac stumble their way towards him. Even though his head was pounding right now, he was relieved at least two were alright.

Malka called out to find the others. "Haraka! Chumvi! Where are you?"

A distant voice came up a little uneven. "I'm here. I'm…coming to you." It was Chumvi.

Malka sighed. "Phew. Alright, Haraka! You out there?"

"Yeah, I'm right behind you."

Everyone turned to give Haraka a bunch of stunned looks. They never even heard him coming, and this whole time they thought he was much farther ahead of them. Zainabu was the one to make their thoughts public. "I thought you were ahead of us, Haraka."

The king cheetah nodded, not looking surprised at their expressions. "Yeah, I was. Then when the barrage stopped, I turned to head back. I checked our rear and then came up to you guys a few moments ago."

Everyone was a little disturbed by the fact that this cheetah was not only fast, but a virtual ghost as well. While that was a huge advantage, it was also unnerving as well. "You're scary. You know that, right?" Tupac's voice was filled with nervousness and amusement, as was the expression on his face.

"I'm a cheetah. It's part of the job description."

Malka smirked. _Battle humor._ But now wasn't the time to dwell on that. "Alright, guys. Let's get out of here while we still can. Chumvi, Zee, I need you to take point." Zainabu nodded, but Malka's attention was drawn to a groaning nearby. He turned his head in the direction of the noise and his eyes widened. "Chumvi…"

Chumvi was stumbling along towards them. He had a bloody paw clutching his chest while trying to limp on his other foreleg. When he removed his paw from his chest, there was a large hole there, with blood flowing out. Other holes were peppered all over his body. The dark-furred lion had been hit by the shrapnel one of the rockets. He groaned and fell to the ground, propping himself with his one leg.

Malka ran to him. "Chumvi!" The others turned and immediately headed over to Chumvi. Malka caught him as he fell and set up him slowly. Frustration and anger got the better of him as he let out a shout. "Aahhhh, I can't believe it!"

It was a shame to make it through a whole barrage, think everyone was fine, only to find out that one was hit. From the looks of Chumvi's wounds, he was a goner. Chumvi shook his head in disbelief. "I-I never saw it coming, guys." He was in a lot of pain, and his expression showed it. He let out a shout of pain. "It's not supposed to be like this. It wasn't supposed to happen like this. I can't go down this way."

Malka tried to get his attention off of his wounds and pain. "You're not going down. We just need a little water and dirt and you'll be fine. You'll be fine, okay?"

Chumvi coughed up blood. Zainabu laid a paw on his face. "Breathe."

He practically ignored her, as his breathing soon became fast and shallow. He looked at Malka. "You know what to do, right? You know what to do, don't you?"

The king of the Mountain Pride nodded. "Yeah, I know what to do. You hear me? I got it. I got everything."

Now, Chumvi was shaking and gagging on his own breath and blood now. Zainabu dropped on her haunches. She couldn't believe this was happening. Haraka couldn't take it anymore and walked off to make sure no one was too close. Even though he was away from the area, he couldn't tear his eyes away from the dark lion. Tupac hadn't been effected as much as the others, but it still hurt. Because one was dying and the other was too stunned to move, he decided to carry out Malka's orders and take point to make sure the coast was clear when everyone was ready to go.

Zainabu and Malka stared at Chumvi, who was now breathing erratically and giving all the effort possible to speak. "Y-You're gonna g-get 'em, right? It's n-n-not for nothing, right? R-Right?"

Malka gave him a reassuring nod. "I'm gonna get them. Don't worry, I got it. I got everything. Just relax."

Now, their comrade was now choking severely. Zainabu tried to keep her cool. "Breathe, Chumvi. Breathe, breathe."

Chumvi looked around. The corners of his vision were growing black and the center was now in tunnel-vision. That tunnel vision was getting brighter and brighter. He was panicking, and more blood eked out of his wounds. With one last, final effort, he managed to say. "I guess we've made it to the end. Huh, guys?"

Malka nodded. The irony of the whole situation was summed up in Chumvi's statement. They were pretty much at the end. It was just a matter of time now. In a somber tone, Malka said, "Yeah, we've made it."

Chumvi now was choking and letting out painful moans. His head was slowly falling to the ground, but his body started to twitch violently. Within moments, Chumvi stopped twitching and with one last breath, he was gone from this world.

Zainabu and Malka couldn't move. Chumvi was now dead and it was down to two lions, one lioness, and one cheetah. Haraka, who was checking the rear, looked over at Chumvi's body in disbelief. He wanted to refuse this as reality. He wanted it to be a nightmare, but he knew it wasn't. He had lost three close friends in an hour, and that death toll was about to get larger.

Malka shook himself out of his trance and took charge. "Zee, get up to Tupac and take point." He watched Zainabu bitterly get up and start walking away in Tupac's direction. No further words were necessary. They were sick of death to their own kind, but they still had a mission to do. That mission could be done with little talk. He turned to Haraka. "Haraka?"

The cheetah didn't answer. He wore just as bitter an expression as Zainabu did. He didn't even move. His eyes remained glued to the body of his friend. Malka walked over to where he was frozen. "Haraka, there's nothing we can do. He's gone, pal. We gotta get going, unless you want to end up dead, too."

"I know, but I'm just sick of death like this. I wish it would end."

"Me too, but we gotta get moving. Those soldiers know we're not all wiped out. They're gonna come back." Malka pointed. "Zainabu and Tupac are up ahead. Let's get-"

The silence was, once again, broken by the incoming soldiers. This time, they were firing with their rifles and they were firing in huge volumes. A lot of it was coming down on the two felines. With incentive on their parts, they broke out in a mad dash. They needed to get clear of the place and hurry up to Zainabu and Tupac.

Malka run in between what was left of some trees with Haraka running ahead of him. Already, they could see the two lions up ahead, hidden behind some logs and looking back at them. Malka could tell they were waiting to see if he and Haraka made it out. At the top of his lungs, he shouted, "RUN! RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN!"

They complied and headed deeper into the woods. Malka turned and saw multiple foot soldiers and vehicles closing in. The soldiers had an easier time through the mess they created than the vehicles did, but they were all making good time on them. Suddenly, he heard Danny over the radio. He couldn't make out what he was saying between the noise of the gunshots and his attention on the job at hand, but he did catch Dasyu's name over the radio. _I hope you're almost done, Danny. Because we can't last much longer_.

When he looked up, he realized how dead-on his statement was. He saw Haraka jump over the logs where Zainabu and Tupac were at. As he did, one lucky shot from the enemy hit Haraka right in the neck. The cheetah fell down, choking and unable to breathe from the shot as well as shock. In an instant, he was still.

Malka jumped over and rolled Haraka over. His eyes were vacant and his face a complete look of shock and terror. Blood was all over his neck and he wasn't breathing. Malka's intense expression underscored his voice as he shook Haraka. "Haraka! Haraka! Come on, get up! Haraka!" It did no good. Haraka was dead, but he had no time to dwell on it. He had to keep moving. "God, can you cut us break!" Ricochets from the gunshots near him gave him his answer. "Guess not." He ran in a vain hope that he, Zainabu, and Tupac would make it out alive.

**You gotta hate cliffhangers, huh? Tune in for next chapter.**


	24. Heart of a Champion: Game Over

**Okay, here's part two. I hope the last chapter was intense, because this one is about to raise the heat even more. Enjoy and look forward to the reviews…**

* * *

If there was a part of Danny's body that hurt, he couldn't name them all. A very cold feeling on the right side of his face told him he was still in the hangar and on the floor. His main complaint was coming from his shoulders. He could feel the ropes holding his arms at the small of his back constantly exerting pressure to pull his elbows closer together.

He found his thoughts wandering, which made him remember the gas, concluding it most likely was the reason why he felt drugged. That sensation, coupled with the ropes and the floors, led him to believe he had been captured by the enemy. He felt extremely disoriented, while the ropes made him feel defensive-or was supposed to.

Danny slowly felt the sensation wearing off. When he rolled, he felt less disoriented and more stable. He wished he wasn't in this disposition, but there wasn't much he could do. He heard a voice speaking. Even though it was muffled, he could make it out. "Looks like he's coming to, sir."

"Get him up, Striker."

"Get up!" The next thing Danny felt was a hard slap to the face.

The pain was sharp, a sort of pins-and-needles feeling from the slapping plus the still-wearing off chemicals. Danny wanted to kill the person who did that. He opened his eyes and worked his way up to his knees. "I'm up."

The voices cleared and he could easily make out the voice as Dasyu's. "Thank you, General. I could've done that." The annoyance in his voice was evident.

The man opened his eyes, albeit hesitantly. He looked to see Dasyu kneeling down next to him. Danny remembered him in his human form, with his tall appearance, sandy-colored hair and dark, empty eyes. Now, he was in his robot form. The head of his lion form was where his chest was and his body was composed of black and red, with bright yellow eyes. Any other being would be frightened by this form, but after everything Dasyu had done to him, Danny was anything but scared.

This was half of what he wanted. Dasyu was close enough to him to kill, but the fact he was tied up was the half he didn't like. Danny growled at him, but smirked. "It definitely is bad fortune to see something so ugly twice in a lifetime. Must be that whole seven years bad luck."

"You're one to talk," Dasyu replied, pointing at his right eye and then back to Danny. "That's a real nice 'addition' you have there on your face."

Danny realized he was talking about the parallel-lined scar he received oh so many years ago from Zira. Danny smiled, but not in a friendly way. "Compliments of a lioness I have yet to repay."

"It must be for a good reason." Dasyu decided to change the subject. "You seem to have a nice array of weapons at your disposal, Danny. They look very similar to my own."

"Well with the exception of the G36, the rest is my own."

"Yes," that was the voice of the one whom Danny heard talking earlier, the one called Striker. He was examining the M1014 big gauge. "This is quite a beautiful piece you have here. I think I might be keeping it for me-self."

"Enjoy it while it lasts," Danny said, distastefully.

"I will," Striker responded. "I've already got two lions to my name; burned the two buggers after shooting them. We'll see if I can add one with this shotgun if they get close enough."

"What?" Danny gave him his full attention. Had he heard things correctly? This Striker was the person Malka mentioned who killed Tojo and Mheetu, and now he was going to kill the others. The pressure in Danny's head snapped to become a ball of pure rage. "You little cockroach! I'll kill you!"

Striker kicked him in the stomach. "Oh, I'd love to see you try, especially tied up."

"Well, not for much longer," Dasyu responded. He pulled out a knife and tossed it to a soldier behind Danny. "See, I'm going to grant you your wish. I know you didn't come here just to give some entertainment to my Generals. You came to kill the guy who cuts the checks." His last words were filled amusement, as if the human's intent was humorous.

Danny heard the cutting sound of a knife on rope. Within moments, he was free of his ropes. However, the moment he stood up, dozens of guards pointed their weapons at him. He may have been free, but at the same time, he wasn't free. _Well, that's one problem averted._

Dasyu walked around and turned to him. "You and I will face each other. No knives, no arms. Just our bare hands in hand-to-hand combat. If I win, you will give me the AI-"

"Yes, I know what _you_ want," Danny interrupted, rolling his eyes. "But what if I win?"

"I'll let you go and your lion friends that I have. That's not to say my Generals will honor that pact if I die."

Four beings behind Danny laughed. Danny looked at them. One was Striker, who resembled a tiger with his color combination of black and orange. The shortest one was a female, and a leopardess at that. But she did not look any less dangerous than the rest. In fact, she looked more ice-blooded than any two of the males put together. The other two were a falcon and an eagle. They contrasted in size, but they seemed to pair together like brothers.

Danny returned his attention to Dasyu and closed the distance. "You know, I honestly don't care what happens to me. As long as my pride gets released and you die, I don't care if I go down as well. After what you did to my family and my pride, killing you is what matters to me, and I _will_ avenge my family."

Dasyu frowned. "You're fa-oh, you must mean the four unwanted tourists I roasted in their own boat." He grinned smugly. "I thought something was familiar about you. So _that_ was your family? The Manning's, right?"

Danny snarled at him when he called his family "unwanted tourists", and it showed in his voice as well. "They were the reason I ever came here in the first place." He brought his fists up. "So are we gonna talk or are we gonna settle matters?"

The leader of the Specters cracked his knuckles. "It's been so long since our last fight. I hope you're more prepared this time, because you got lucky with that power cable."

"No, I'd say you got lucky, Dasyu. Lucky that I didn't have more time to shock you until your body exploded." He waved Dasyu toward him with his hand. "Let's go. The sooner we fight, the quicker you can die."

Dasyu smiled and moved in to begin the fight while the others formed a circle around them. The battle was on, and the two archenemies joined in and epic fight of fists and feet.

* * *

"Take this!" Malka jumped out from behind his hiding spot to surprise a scout on a speeder bike who went ahead of the army. The result was a cross-body slam from the lion to the scout. The impact from both the tackle and the landing more than dazed him. It didn't matter as Malka angrily sunk his teeth into the scout's neck and ripped it open with violent force.

He immediately ran back with Zainabu and Tupac. They were both upset to hear that Haraka was killed shortly after they left, but like Malka, they didn't have the time to sulk and grieve. But it was one more reason to keep going so that his death would not be in vain, just like Chumvi, Tojo, and Mheetu. They pressed on with their mission, determined to give Danny the maximum amount of time possible. Their friend was calling upon them to keep up the diversion and grind out the time.

That was proving harder than it sounded. The gunfire had not stopped, especially when one soldier would spot any one of them. This time, unlike the steady march from earlier, the entire force was charging their way. The lions were fortunate to catch a few enthusiastic strays, but they couldn't keep that trick up. The enemy would wise up and charge in full, close force.

The lions continued to evade their pursuit, but they would have to find a place to hide and regain their strength. All of them were overheating, even Zainabu. If they didn't find a hiding spot soon, they would have to just go on a suicide charge and run through the lines to cause confusion. One thing they did have going for them, it was getting darker. It was still dusk, but if they could hold out until the night, then they could _really _do some damage.

Zainabu was little farther ahead of the two males. She was serving as a scout for the remainder of the diversion group. So far, she couldn't see anything useful for hiding. Not without them finding and cornering them. She crept as low as she could while moving as fast as possible. She wanted to get as much distance as she could between the enemy, but she didn't want to just get up and run into the open and get mowed down.

Jumping over a log, she came up to a creek. It wasn't that far in width and looked shallow enough to cross, but that wasn't important to her. Across the creek, was their path to safety. From left to right, all she could see was long grass. It was perfect for them to hide in, and the soldiers would have a hard time finding them. She turned back and looked for Malka and Tupac.

The two lions were pinned down by fire from the soldiers. Zainabu shouted to them. "Guys! I've found some long grass up ahead. We can use it to hide in."

"WHAT!" Malka shouted. It was clear the gunfire was too loud for him to hear her. But he couldn't move with the soldiers pinning them down.

Zainabu realized that too and decided to think fast. Or in her plan, not thinking at all. She ran out into the open and roared at the soldiers. They noticed and shifted fire on her. She ducked back behind a huge tree. The diversion was more than enough for Malka and Tupac to get up and run for cover. The infantrymen tried to aim and fire on them again, but it was too late. They were behind cover.

Tupac and Malka collected their breath while Zainabu ran through the creek to the other side. They didn't need to be told what she saw. The plan was obvious: get into the long grass, recover, and sweat it out until dark. Then, they could make their move and escape or cause some damage.

However, the gunfire was starting to come close to them once again; ricochets kept them on edge. Malka and Tupac took cover behind a tree and looked around either edge. The soldiers were coming close and the two lions would have to make their move soon. Malka looked over to his younger counterpart. "Fall back. I'll follow you."

"Check. I'm falling back." Tupac ran back into the creek.

As Tupac was crossing, Malka heard more gunfire open up further downstream. Water splashed up behind him, and then he heard the last thing he wanted to hear: a grunt of pain. He turned around to see what happened, and dropped his jaw.

Tupac had been caught in the gunfire and while many shots landed in the water, many shots lanced through his body. Tupac grunted and struggled to keep crossing and tried to square himself with the enemy to provide a smaller target. It didn't work; the shooters were too accurate and kept on shooting Tupac. The young lion finally succumbed to the barrage and splashed into the water, dead.

Malka quickly crossed over the creek, hoping that he wouldn't be next. He quickly checked Tupac and could tell the lion was dead. He shook his head and kept moving. He saw Zainabu on the other side, hiding in the long grass, watching everything occur. She was angry and horrified to see Tupac, a young lion, die right in front of her. Malka yelled to her. "Move, Zee! Go!"

The two ran into the long grass, keeping low but moving at a fast pace. They found some open spaces, but stopped to see what was going on behind them. Perking their ears up, they listened closely as the soldiers ceased fire and looked among the grass. Zainabu and Malka both knew they would never spot the two. Even with Malka's black mane, they wouldn't be able to spot two lions in long grass. It gave them time to recover and regain their breath and strength. They had been running for who knew how long. None of them thought they had it in them to do this for an entire afternoon and early evening. But now, they had their reprieve.

Zainabu tried to put everything together. Everything happened so fast. _Chumvi, Haraka, and Tupac…dead within minutes of each other_. It was horrifying to see friend after friend go down to enemy gunfire. She only hoped Danny did not share the same fate. The very thought nearly brought her to tears. "I can't believe we're the only two left. It's just so-"

"Sshh. Listen." Malka crept closer while perking up his ears. Zainabu did the same and listened to the soldiers.

They could hear chatter among the enemy battalion. One talked to a soldier in unique black armor compared to the tiger-camo the others were wearing. "Sir, we'll never find them in this bush, and it will be nightfall soon. What do we do?"

Stepping forward, the black armored soldier looked at the others. "Think, men. Remember the old saying about chasing a snake into the cane fields? You don't let the snake draw you in to become his prey. You burn the fields to draw him out and make him yours." He motioned for a few soldiers carrying tanks to move forward.

Those soldiers stepped up while everyone else moved back and headed downstream. The few soldiers that remained aimed long rods at the grass. Malka didn't know what they were holding, until long gouts of flame erupted and shot out in front of the soldiers. All over the place, the long grass erupted in fire, which began to spread rapidly.

Now Zainabu and Malka were in serious trouble. Their resting spot was about to become a blazing inferno. They had to move immediately or go up in flames. Malka got up and looked at the lioness. "Zainabu, we need to split up. At this point, we're an easy target together. If we can split up their forces, this diversion can take twice as long."

"Good idea. I'll head right." Her somber tone was as plain as day. She was so sad for the deaths of her friends, especially since they were all younger than her and should've outlived her.

"Okay, and I'll head left towards the stronghold. Hopefully, Danny will have the others by now." He started to head off, but was halted by Zainabu's paw. "What is it?"

"Just be careful. I've already lost enough friends. I don't wanna lose you too, Malka."

He gave her a comforting smile. "I appreciate that. Remember…stick to the plan." With those words, he turned tail and left.

The flames got closer and Zainabu headed her way. All of her emotions were beginning to get the best of her, as the deaths of five noble lives were lost to free their pride members. Tears started to drip down her face as she ran. _Please hurry, Danny. I don't know how much longer we can hold out._

* * *

Danny felt the wind get knocked out of him as Dasyu kicked him squarely in the solar plexus. Danny slowly backed up while blocking his opponent's shots and regain his breath at the same time. So far, the advantage was on Dasyu's side. He was a transformer and thus, had a default advantage in strength. Danny would have to counter that with joint manipulation, which was a good thing since he was trained in some Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Danny got some space, but didn't have it for long. Dasyu quickly charged him, but Danny dodged the charge. He swung at Dasyu's midsection, but it rebounding as if it were made out of Plexiglas. Dasyu just looked at him and laughed. "You're gonna have to try better than that."

He swung a punch at Danny. The man ducked by landing on his stomach. Using his quick reflexes, he swung his legs underneath Dasyu's and knocked his feet out from under him. He fell to the ground with a groan. Danny pushed back off with his hands and back into a fighting stance. "I'm just getting warmed up."

Dasyu got up and smirked. "It's about time I had a challenge. Don't disappoint me, boy." Dasyu came after him again. This time, Danny didn't escape. The Specter tackled him to the dirt, nearly knocking the wind out of the human. As Dasyu tried to pin him down, Danny pushed and shrimped his way out of Dasyu's forward mount. It was a move where the fighter would try to escape the opponent's mount by pushing off their leg with their hands, while simultaneously pushing away from the opponent's body with his own legs. Dasyu tried pinning him but Danny brought his legs up and got Dasyu in the guard. Grabbing Dasyu's left arm, the man brought his left leg up and pressed it against the left side of the transformer's neck. Dasyu grabbed it with his free hand, losing his balance.

Danny took full advantage of Dasyu's mistake and swung his leg back down, twisting his butt for extra momentum. For all of Dasyu's natural strength, he couldn't compensate by defending against the momentum. His head slammed into the ground as his enemy put him in the straight arm bar, a position where Danny's legs pressed the robot's head in between while the human held Dasyu's arm up to his neck. Unlike his training matches, where the victim of this move would tap out to end the fight, Danny pushed down until he heard the crunchy snap of Dasyu's arm breaking. He screamed and Danny let go of him.

He was somewhat surprised that he broke the arm of a robot, but these guys could feel pain and could die. Danny watched on as Dasyu clutched his bad arm. "I'll bet that sucks. Am I disappointing you?"

Dasyu got up. Now, his appetite for fun was beyond satisfied. It was replaced with anger and humiliation. "That's it. I've had my fun. It's time to end this." He searched the floor until he picked up a huge wrench and came after Danny.

Danny looked around and grabbed a piece of pipe from a fuel valve when he destroyed the fuel tanks. He turned around just in time to block Dasyu's shot to his head. He quickly countered by kicking Dasyu's knee. It didn't do much damage, but because it was a joint, Dasyu's knee gave in and forced him to rebalance. Danny went on the offensive and swung a few shots at him. Whenever Dasyu blocked, Danny released one of his hands to get a quick jab or punch to Dasyu's face.

The problem with Dasyu's strategy was that he kept going for the knockout swing, which meant a lot of shots at the head. Danny would usually duck and go with two attacks. One was a jab in the stomach with the pipe, which had much better success that his fist. The second was getting behind Dasyu and slamming the pipe into his back, which dealt some serious damage.

Danny's strategy was simple and effective: be patient and wait for an opening. For his enemies, that was Daniel Manning in a nutshell: exploit every weakness and opportunity; cause damage when you can, however you can. It was evident that Danny's strategy was working. While Dasyu started out well, it was clear that he was not fully oriented. He was lashing out in random directions, even at empty air.

"What's wrong, D? You having trouble hitting me?" Danny taunted. "This is the part where you're supposed to kick my tail." He struck at Dasyu with his pipe.

Dasyu blocked, but with only one hand, Danny decided to open up the playbook a little. He kicked Dasyu in the stomach, followed by a swing kick and finished with a high-jump kick. All three connected to their targets and Dasyu grunted and groaned with each shot. Danny narrowed his eyes. "Had enough or do you want some more?"

The leader of the Specters smiled, much to Danny's suspicion. "Actually, I was about to ask you the same question." He swung the wrench he was still holding right in between Danny's legs. Hard.

Danny felt the pain hit him immediately. It was a horrible, aching pain. The one spot that he couldn't train to get stronger on, Dasyu went for. He dropped his pipe and fell down, clutching his groin area. "That was…not fair, Dasyu…taking a cheap shot like that."

"I don't play fair all the time," Dasyu climbed on top of him and began punching him with his good arm. Even though Danny knew which arm was going to attack, it did little good. He was in extreme pain and Dasyu's fist felt like a steel hydraulic pounding into his face. Dasyu now had the upper hand and was going to make life a living hell for the human.

Danny felt punch after punch land on his face. He was getting angry, and his adrenaline was surging now. "Get. Your. Butt. Off. Of. Me. Dasyu." With every word, he tried to move Dasyu off, but the transformer was much to heavy and he was much too dazed. Finally, he succumbed to the pain and dropped his head to the ground, nearly passing out.

But he didn't. Dasyu got off of him and motioned for someone to attend to his broken arm and other injuries. Danny looked up to see his enemy smirking back down on him. "Looks like I win the match. Fair or not, that wasn't part of the agreement. You could've cheated too as long as it didn't involve knives or guns." Even though Dasyu fought dirty, he was still right. Danny could've cheated, but he never went for it.

Then, the feeling finally hit Danny. The feeling he hated most of all that burned him time and time again in the past. He had failed. He failed to prevent the capture of the lionesses. He failed to protect his friends when their lives were on the line, and now at least two of them were dead. But most importantly, he failed to avenge his family and free his pride when he had the easiest chance of his life. Nothing seemed to go right now. It all came crashing down on him. Tears threatened to come cascading down his cheeks, but he refused to let them.

To add insult to injury, Dasyu was talking to the leopardess General before coming back to him. He now wore an extra cover over his broken arm, some sort of healing device. "Of course, whether you told me or not, you held up your end of the bargain." He tossed a small screen down at Danny's face. "As you can see, my men have just found your ship. I can see now why we never found your ship seven years ago."

Danny feebly grabbed the screen to find out Dasyu was right. Soldiers had surrounded the spot where the _**Paratus Preliator**_ was. One of them held a remote and aimed it at the direction of the ship. The vessel was now fading out of its invisible state and was now visible for all to see. Danny searched his pocket and realized it was gone. Dasyu had to have taken it while he was unconscious. He looked back up at the ceiling with a pained expression. _Great, now they have my ship. What else can go wrong?_

The irony of his last thought became reality. Dasyu grabbed a radio and grabbed a pistol. He kneeled down next to the human. "You put up a good fight, but it wasn't enough. You've given me your ship, you've given me your friends. You're just a failure, Danny. Stop trying to deny the facts. Just admit it; you were a failure all along." He stood and presented the radio. "Of course, I've already reported at least five beasts killed. I can only imagine you only have a few left according to my security systems. So instead of chasing them, why not make them come to us?"

Danny looked at Dasyu as though he asked him to stand on his head and hold his breath. "What are you gonna do? Call them on a huge PA system and tell them to come here? Dream on."

The Specter shook his head. "Not me, Manning, not me. You're going to help us."

In spite of his pain, Danny laughed. "You think I'm going to help you with that?"

Dasyu cleared his throat and spoke. This time, it wasn't his voice, but an exact duplicate of Danny's voice. "What do you think, Danny? Think I can pull it off?"

Danny gaped. _Oh, no._

* * *

Zainabu ran through the grass. The fires were catching up to her, and her reserves were practically spent. No one had seen her, or else she would've heard gunshots. She hadn't heard any since she and Malka split up, and it should've made her feel better. To be honest, she was more unnerved than anything. The lack of gunfire made it difficult for her to pinpoint where they were. The fires weren't helping, and she had no choice but to run.

She ran up a slope and jumped over a log on the top. Her legs didn't clear the log and she was sent tumbling down the other side. She bounced and landed hard on the ground. Zainabu's mind was telling her to keep going, but her body was telling her something else. She was fatigued, and her lungs were gasping for air. She didn't know how much she had left, but odds were she was running close to dry.

The weight of her emotions weighed heavily on her too. The losses of Tojo, Mheetu, Chumvi, Haraka, and Tupac all ate at her. Her heart started to ache and tears began falling from her face. _This is all too much for me. It hurts so much. I don't know how Danny can keep going like this._ She hadn't been used to this much death all at once. Sure, she lost friends during Scar's Reign, but that was spread out among years. This was spread out among hours.

She rolled over to her side, and blinked to make sure she wasn't seeing things. Only a few feet away from her was the last thing she expected to see in the middle of the now-burning fields. _A conveyor belt, just like the one Danny showed us._ She didn't know where it would lead, but all she knew was that it could lead her inside. Despite her weariness, she stood and staggered her way to the conveyor belt.

* * *

Malka was surprised that no one was shooting at him anymore. Yes, part of it was because he was in the grass but someone would've had to have spotted him by now. It just didn't make sense, but he kept pressing on. He didn't run as fast because one, he didn't need to, and two, he needed to replenish his energy. The sun was still out, but it wouldn't be long before it would go down and be pitch black outside. Thankfully, lions had naturally keen eyesight, so it didn't bother him so much.

Just as he reached the end of the fields, he heard his radio crackle to life. "This is Danny. Anyone, come in."

Malka leaned down and spoke into his radio. "Danny? This is Malka. What's going on?"

"Malka, I have found the lionesses and am getting ready to take a transport to the ship. I also have freed a leopardess. I brought her to the hangar, but she needs some help. I've got my hands full getting the lionesses out of their cells. I need you to get to the hangar immediately."

Malka frowned. _That sounds kinda odd. What about Dasyu's men? _He spoke into his neckband again. "Uh, what about Dasyu and his men?"

"It appears most of them are out after you and the others. They're having trouble tracking you. As for Dasyu, I killed him. He's more talk than I initially thought. How are the others?"

The lion lowered his head. "Chumvi, Haraka, and Tupac are all dead. Zainabu and I have split up. Let me see if I can reach her." He sighed and spoke into his neckband to reach the lioness. "Zee? Zee, come in. This is Malka. Zee, do you read me?" He waited for a response. No answer. Concern filled his heart, as he hoped it was just a problem with the radio. He spoke into the radio with regret in his voice. "I can't raise her."

"I can't believe everyone else is dead," Danny said with anguish. "Just get to the hangar and help the leopardess. I want to get out of here before I lose any more friends. Dasyu's death will leave a lot of confusion. Hopefully, we'll be long gone when things straighten out."

"I'm on my way." Malka said, and took off for the hangar.

It was only about ten minutes before Malka reached the hangar. During that run, he saw no troopers or tanks. He could see powerful lights on in the forest, even with most of it ablaze. It was open and empty, but it looked like there was a huge firefight. A lot of bodies and vehicles were littered all over the place. He didn't spot any enemy soldiers. Even though Danny gave his reassurance that there were no soldiers in the area, he still felt a sense of uneasiness. _Something's off. There's not a soul in sight, outside or inside._

There was no sign of Danny or the lionesses. But he did see a feline in open space, groaning and moving very gingerly. _That must be the leopardess._ He began running towards her and hope that Danny would come out and shed some light on things.

* * *

"Aaaahhh!" Danny was pinned against the floor, with a boot pressed against his neck and a pistol against his cheek. Dasyu had some soldiers move him to the control room where he wouldn't be heard, but he left the man without a gag. He wanted to see Danny suffer in pain, and hear him as well. The Generals held him down while Dasyu kept the pistol pressed on Danny.

Danny couldn't move. They had all of his limbs in their hands and he struggled to get free, but it was in vain. All he could do was scream. "Malka! Malka! MALKA!" He started to cry. They were going to kill the lion he considered a younger brother to him, and Malka couldn't hear him. "Malka! NOOO! Malka!" Malka wouldn't be able to hear him, from the distance and the closed doors, but he still tried.

He fought with every ounce of energy he could. He had heard Malka report Chumvi, Haraka, and Tupac's deaths. Now, Malka was next in line to die. Danny cried, wishing this was all a nightmare that he could wake up from. He was only half-right, though. It was a nightmare, but he wouldn't wake up from this.

Outside, Malka trotted up to the leopardess and dropped down to help her, trying to figure out what he could do to help her out. He first checked the area to see if anyone was around, but he neither saw nor smelled anybody. He looked down at the leopardess and examined her body. _No wounds. I wonder what is wrong with her._ Malka rolled her body over and placed a paw on her shoulder. "What's happening? Are you alright? Where's Danny at?"

To his surprise, the leopardess shoved him back with her hind legs, nearly knocking him over but enough to knock him back. She smiled coolly. "Glad you could join us," her smile faded into a scowl. "Now back off."

Malka frowned, not knowing why she was doing this. "What are you doing? I-I came here to help you."

"You did." Malka looked up to see a tiger-like robot walk towards them, rifle in hand. "Wrong move, mate."

From the control room, Dasyu could see everything was in place. Striker had walked up and was ready to fire. Now, it was time for the icing on the cake. He snapped his fingers and the soldiers released Danny from their grip. He wanted to see this.

Once he was free, Danny didn't even bother attacking them, not even Dasyu. He was too focused on saving his brother. "Malka! Malka!" He ran out the door and sprinted towards the lion.

From behind him, Dasyu taunted him. "Better hurry, Danny. A friend in need!"

Danny ignored him and kept running to Malka like he had never run before. He was already having a hard time dealing with the deaths in the past, now he was dealing with the deaths of his blood family and the family he had called his own since being here. Danny wasn't sure he could bear the death of one of his longest lasting friends and little brother. "Malka! Get the hell out of here! Malka, run!"

His screams attracted the attention of Striker and Malka. Both looked back to see the man sprinting towards them, screaming at the top of his lungs. Striker realized action needed to be taken. He slowly turned back to face Malka. The lion looked back at him, right in the eyes. Striker raised his rifle and aimed at the defenseless lion.

Everything seemed to go in slow motion for Danny. It could've seemed like adrenaline, but it was something else. He never heard the automatic rifle going off, but he did see the blood spatter all over the place as holes punched through Malka's body. "Nnnnooooo!" Even Danny's own screams were muffled to his hearing. "Malka!" He ran to catch Malka as he fell.

The leopardess, who was extremely close to Malka, had to duck and cover her head to avoid any fatal shots. She transformed and glared back at Striker. "You stupid maniac! No one ever ordered you to shoot!"

Striker seemed unconcerned and reloaded his weapon. "We've wasted enough time with this charade."

Danny cradled Malka's fading body in his arms, namely his head. Malka could barely speak from shock and pain. "Danny…Danny…" His voice was so weak Danny could barely hear him. What killed Danny was look of confusion on Malka's face and the unspoken word. _Why?_

Tears came down the man's face like a waterfall. He slowly brushed Malka's mane out of his face. He buried his face against Malka's and cried. "I'm so sorry, Malka. I'm so sorry." Danny heard short breaths from his brother and within a minute, Malka was silent. Danny looked back and saw Malka's wide, vacant eyes. The lion was gone. Danny knew this was the risk involved, but he didn't want it to happen like this. Only another failure to add to his already lengthy resume. Danny slowly staggered to his feet. He heard footsteps behind him and practically screamed at them. "_You didn't have to kill this lion._"

Dasyu laughed. "Touching. It breaks my heart," he said, sardonically. "But look around you, Danny. It was going to happen sooner or later." He waved all around at the destruction. "You see, Danny. It was inevitable, and you tried to deny it by fighting against me. Because of that, you lost your family, you couldn't protect your forest friends from my abducting them, and you failed to keep your ship from me. Look at your fallen friends as a primary example of your failures."

Dasyu handed the handheld screen he gave to Danny earlier, and then pointed at himself. "My era is just beginning, Danny, while the era of yours has reached its end."

Dasyu couldn't have hit more to home on Danny's accomplishments. Danny looked at the screens. Each showed the bodies of his friends. The cremated remains of Tojo and Mheetu, Chumvi laying dead in the forest, Haraka getting shot in the neck, Tupac being lit up in a creek, and now Malka was dead too. Those deaths flooding his mind, along with the video of his family being burned and the _**Preliator **_being discovered, began to send Danny into a breakdown.

Every time he tried to force one person's death out of his mind, it was replaced with another death. He screamed at each one, trying to get them out of his mind with little success. The anguish, the pain, the failure. It was all too much to bear and all he could do was suffer and scream. Danny fell to his knees, groaning in agony.

"And now, Danny Manning…" Danny looked up at Dasyu, his eyes full of terror, defeat, and weariness. Striker, the other three Generals, and at least a dozen soldiers surrounded Danny and aimed their weapons at him.

"It's your turn."

* * *

**I'll bet a couple of you readers hate me now for all these cliffhangers. What will happen? Will Danny die or will he fight back? Stay tuned and you guys will be in for an interesting ride. Sorry for the short chapter, btw.**


	25. Heart of a Champion: Going into Overtime

**Okay, I'm sorry for the long wait. Getting ready for college is a pain, especially the admissions. Anyways, this is the really intense chapter I was telling you guys about in my last two chapters. Enjoy the chapter. Let's get ready to rumble!**

* * *

Zainabu kept low as the conveyor belt moved her through the tunnel. She had lost communication with Malka and Danny, but hoped to rendezvous with both of them as soon as possible. Being in a place she considered an artificial structure, she would have to return to basics. She wanted to talk and find out where everyone was, but she didn't want to give away her position or theirs. The lioness would have to use her hearing and smell.

As a lioness, her smell was more attuned than a lion's. It would come in handy at sniffing out Danny's scent and helping him wherever he was at. She didn't know what was going on, but she was sure that Danny was in trouble. The last transmission she had with him proved that.

"_Danny, this is Zainabu. Are you close to freeing Sarabi and the others?"_

"_Not exactly, Zee. I've got a bit of a mess here."_

_She frowned. _What is that noise? _"Are you under fire, Danny?"_

"_Heh, who isn't?"_

"_Are you…okay?"_

"_Oh, yeah. Other than being shot at by the Electric Mayhem, I'm doing alright. I can't talk right now. I'll contact you later."_

One good thing she was thankful for was the fact that the conveyor belt was a long ride. It gave her time to recover her breath and strength. Now, she was ready to run at full speed. _Good to go. Just gotta find Danny and Malka. Then find Sarabi and the others and get out of here._ That plan was now easier said than done, as their group was now down to just three members. The loss of all their friends still hung on her heart, and she was determined to repay the enemy in kind.

What bothered her at that moment was the darkness of the whole place. She was used to being active in the night, however, she was used to having some sort of ambient light, namely the moon. In this tunnel, there was absolutely nothing, so it was difficult to not feel on edge. If even a pebble or chunk of rock broke off the tunnel and landed, it would make her tense up.

Thankfully, she could see some light up ahead. Zainabu let out a sigh of relief. "Finally, I'm at the end." It felt like an eternity, but she had made it inside the stronghold. In a sense, she was disobeying orders. Danny wanted the others to remain outside and create as much a distraction as possible. But there were two things wrong with that. Things broke down outside and five lives were lost, and at the same time, she wasn't disobeying orders. She still was going to create a distraction, but it would be from the inside.

As she came out into the light, Zainabu looked around. It was a huge facility, and the room looked like it was taking the rocks to a grinder of some sort and crushing them down into simple raw materials. Numerous grappling devices and cranes lined up along the left and right sides of the belt. Whatever it was, she didn't pay much attention to the machines as much as the three workers who noticed her presence.

One of them began issuing orders. "Sound the alarm! We have an intruder." He pointed to one of the other two. "Get some weapons!"

Zainabu wasted no time in her attack. She dove at the leader, claws unsheathed. The leader had no time to react, no time to run. The lioness speared him and sent him to the metal floor. Zainabu quickly sunk her teeth into his neck and crushed it, strangulating him. She quickly got up and did likewise to the worker who went for the weapons. He let off a burst of fire as he was tackled and strangulated by Zainabu.

"Okay, that's two down. Now where's that third guy at?" She looked around to see the last one running up the catwalk. He was heading for a red box on the wall. It didn't take her long to realize he was going to signal for help. She sprinted towards his position, but as she closed in on him, Zainabu heard blaring alarms go off. He hit the switch to a general alarm system. As she got closer, she could hear him screaming into the box.

"We are under attack in entry eleven! Intruder alert in entry eleven! It looks to be…aaaaahhh!" That was the last he was able to get off, as Zainabu jumped him from behind and gave him the same fate as his friends.

Getting off of him, Zainabu watched the alarm lights go on and the whole place was lit in flashing red. She had created an alarm, and hopefully a distraction. Now, she had to avoid trouble and find Danny. She sniffed around, finding nothing recognizable. But as she went on, she smelled blood. It was very familiar and she knew whose blood it belonged to. She gasped. "Danny."

* * *

Danny never felt so lost and defeated in his entire life. He had lost his family, lost some of his closest friends, and now he had lost his ship. It seemed nothing went right for him. Dasyu still had Sarabi and the other five lionesses, and from the way things turned out, it was going to stay that way. The only one who wasn't reported dead was Zainabu, but she probably was dead. She hadn't answered any hails recently and there was no sign from Dasyu's troops that she was even alive. If she was, they would've known where her position was and converged on it.

He sighed. _It doesn't matter. Soon, I'll be joining them._

Right at the moment, he was in an elevator and on his way to the top of the mountain stronghold. The two Generals, Striker and Xev, were with him. Dasyu was about to kill Danny, but Striker asked to carry it out himself. He wanted some personal enjoyment, and though Dasyu wanted to kill Danny personally, he sensed the hunger for battle Striker still had left and decided to let the General have his way. Dasyu, in the meantime, would be overseeing the arrival of the _**Preliator**_ with the other three Generals.

Most of Danny had given up, but another voice rang through his mind. The part of him that was a soldier and a king. _Come on! You cannot just give up like this. You still have a mission to carry out._ Danny tried to quell it, but it kept raging in his mind. _Are you going to let your friends' deaths be in vain? _He just shrugged it defeat and death were simply too powerful to be overcome.

Striker helped out by giving him a shove as the elevator reached the top. "Let's go, human. Round trip for me, one-way ticket to oblivion for you."

Danny ignored him. He didn't even care anymore. In another instance, he would've taken his chances and fought back at Striker, be it a biting remark or an outright punch. As Striker talked with Xev, Danny walked out to the edge and looked out at the land. Striker saw him walk away, but did nothing. There was no way out except the elevator and there wasn't anywhere to hide.

It was absolutely barren, with only dirt and rocks. It probably was beautiful before Dasyu came here, but it didn't matter now. Even as the sun was setting, the forest was providing a huge illumination. What little was left of the nature was now on fire and would go until it burned out, or the approaching thunder clouds from behind would take care of that. The topography of this place would be a barren wasteland.

Just as he waited for the final moments of his life to count down, a thought that came to his head made him shake in fear. _What about Sarabi and the others? Who knows what Dasyu will do to them?_ That sent a shiver down his spine. If they were left here, then Dasyu could turn them into mechanical freaks like he did with the Hyena Trio. Danny knew he couldn't let that happen. If he was going to go down, it would be swinging. If he would die, he would at least make sure the lionesses got free. The soldier/king side won out.

He felt something press against his leg. He frowned. _What is that?_ After quick deduction, he realized it was the taser he took from the soldier who charged him. Dasyu and the others must've forgot to check his ankles and underneath his leggings for any weapons. Danny had a weapon to use, but he had to use it carefully.

Striker finished talking with Xev. "So we're finished with him. I'll take care of him in my own way."

Xev smirked. "Alright, then. Just as long as I'm not near you to be shot at. Dasyu _does_ want you to throw his body off so that he can see it hit the ground, so do it in front of the hangar bay door." At Striker's nod, she looked out at the human. "It's been fun!" She walked into the elevator and the door closed.

That left Striker with Danny, alone. He walked over to him. He had a choice of his pistol or the shotgun he took from Danny, but he had another option. _This is going to be fun._

Danny pointed a finger at the tiger General. "Hey, Striker. From me to you, you're a jackass."

Striker squared himself with the human. "Yeah? And you're a loudmouth, punk-thug-" He pulled out his pistol and aimed at Danny's head. "-who's about to die."

The human seemed unconcerned. He waved his arms out. "Maybe, but soon I'll be dead." He pulled his arms out of the sleeves of his jacket. "_You_ will always be a jackass. So go ahead and shoot me." He smiled as he threw his jacket off, leaving only his black t-shirt on his upper body. "I'm getting kinda cold…could use some heat in my body before I die." Striker just stood there, studying him. Danny raised his voice. "Shoot!"

Striker grabbed Danny's shirt. "Who's shooting?" He drove his forehead into Danny's nose. The human screamed in pain and dropped to his knees. The General, still holding the shirt, drove his knee into Danny's face, letting him drop to the ground, writhing in agony. Blood was dripping out of his nose.

The General walked back a few steps. "Tell me, do you like soccer? It's a great sport." He pointed at himself. "One of the first things I studied. I always loved the striker position. That's where I got my name. Isn't that something?" With those last words, he kicked Danny in the face as the human was getting up, blood flying from his mouth. Striker closed in on Danny, who was holding his face and wiping the blood off. He found his target and slammed his foot down on Danny's ankle.

While it didn't break, Danny still felt extreme pain from the stomp and clutched his ankle. "Oh, geez…damn you!"

Walking back from Danny, Striker laughed. "Heh, so you're swearing now? That's a penalty kick for unsportsmanlike conduct." He drove in and kicked Danny hard in the midsection.

Danny fell back in pain and crawled towards the edge of the stronghold summit. He felt as though he were breathing on one lung and was having a hard time breathing without feeling pain. He didn't know how much more punishment he could take. He managed to speak with strength reserves he didn't even know he had. "Sissy…you hit like a sissy. Is that all you got?"

"I'm just getting started," Striker said. "Here's a lovely little chip shot." He kicked Danny in the face. "The striker dribbles past one defender." He went back to the midsection again instead of the face. "Two defenders." Another kick to the midsection left Danny gasping for air and spitting out more blood. "Three defenders." Striker kicked him in the chest, only adding to the pain. "Goes for the goal, but a defender tackles him from behind." He backed up and launched himself in a sliding tackle that resulted in his foot hitting Danny in the stomach.

Danny grunted and groaned in pain. He knew that time was running out. If he didn't make a move, Striker _was_ going to kill him. He could barely breathe much less think out a strategy. But one thing was working in his favor: Striker was getting cocky, and that meant his guard was going to be down. However, he still had to get up. That was proving very difficult considering the pain.

Walking back ten paces, Striker turned to face Danny. "The striker lines up at the penalty spot. He focuses on the ball, ready to make the game-tying shot. The crowd is on its feet, letting out a deafening cheer." He pulled back his right leg while his eyes remained locked with Danny's face. "The striker moves to his left, draws back his foot, and he comes in."

Striker ran and planted his left foot. His right foot swung and struck Danny hard in the face. The force of the hit made Danny roll off the edge, but his hand caught the rocks along the edge. He was hanging on for dear life now. Striker jumped up in the air. "He scores the tying goal! It's a miracle! Now, we're going into overtime. You know what the best part of overtime is?" He planted his foot on Danny's hand that was keeping him from falling, letting out a cry of pain from the human. "Sudden death."

Danny listened to Striker laughing, enjoying the pain he was inflicting as the former cried out again. _I have to do it now_. He reached down with his other hand and pulled the taser out of his leg. His body was blocking Striker's view, so he never saw him pull it out. Danny powered it on and turned the amplitude up to full power.

He made his move. Danny pulled his arm up and jabbed the taser in Striker's knee. Striker went from laughing to a bloody scream, and he dropped his pistol. To a human, the taser would've dropped them and left them twitching. For a transformer, the taser served as a stunner. Striker had instinctively reached down with his hands, but then froze from the electrical shock, unable to move. Danny grabbed the shotgun slung on Striker's back, the one he stole from Danny. The human pumped it with his one hand and pressed the shotgun into the General's stomach. Striker looked at the human in fear and drawing in short gasps of breath.

"Season's over, jackass!"

Danny fired. The back of Striker's midsection had holes blown through from the vicinity of the shot. The blast also made Striker go end-over-end as he fell off the edge and plummeted to the ground far below. Danny groggily climbed up and crawled so that he was a few feet away from the edge. He was in pain, but he would survive. Two generals were taken care of, but all Danny wanted was the head honcho. He knew his mission, and with renewed determination, he would carry it out.

* * *

Dasyu gazed in astonishment as the _**Preliator **_was brought in by the ground tugs. The ship's intimidating appearance, the weapons emplacements, and the fact that the ship could turn invisible was absolutely marvelous. The cannons on both the dorsal and ventral sides of the ship looked like they could pack a punch, and he looked forward to seeing them in action. Maybe, it would even serve to be his flagship.

Malachi and Talon were busy with the soldiers and doing damage control. One of the other commanders, Lash, was also busy doing the same disseminating work among the ranks. They had taken a fair amount of damage. Most of the refueling stations were destroyed, with only a few working stations. That left clustered vehicles lined up for refueling. One-third of the tanks at the facility were either disabled or destroyed along with over half the Rovers and APC's. A few hundred soldiers were all lost, and about 150 more injured and needing repair. Most communications were still offline, but the emergency systems and the PA still worked. The human had cost Dasyu a lot, but he would recover.

Dasyu spotted General Xev and motioned the leopardess towards him. She trotted up to him and saluted. Dasyu returned it and pointed to the ceiling. "Did you inform Striker of how I want the human dealt with?"

She nodded. "Yes, sir. He should be carrying it out any moment now. What are your orders?"

The Specter leader began tapping off fingers. "First, I want my transport ready to go in about half an hour. I'm going to need it to head to Facility Three." Facility Three was another drone construction facility, the last one remaining. The other one, Facility Two, was the one Danny had destroyed years ago. Facility One was the very place they were in right now, the hub of his personnel, air power, and his second-largest ground division. "I would love to wait until I learn how to fly this ship," he said, waving at the _**Paratus Preliator**_. "But business before pleasure. I have to inspect the facility and get them ready for the next step. Phase Zero Hero must be put into effect immediately, starting there. Once everything is up to speed, I plan to return here."

Xev's expression hardened. "What about the prisoners?"

Dasyu's face went slack, meaning he was thinking this one over. "As soon as Striker reports the human's death, let them go."

"Sir?" The General frowned.

"I am a person of my word. It won't matter down the line, but I'd rather be rid of them and let them try to find their way back to their home, if they can even find it this far away." They both shared a laugh. "In any case, I expect some technicians to go aboard this ship here and either download or copy the artificial intelligence, so that it can be uploaded into my drones. Then, with no one to interfere, we shall dominate this planet and have it for our own. The natural resources here are abundant. We will be a power of our own amongst our people."

"I eagerly anticipate that glorious day, Lord Dasyu," Xev said, with smug satisfaction.

A loud gunshot was heard, even over the motors of the tugs. That was what Dasyu was hoping for. The gunshot that would end the life of the man who had been a thorn in his side for years. It was a freeing feeling, and Dasyu heaved in his chest out. "Well, Striker got what he wanted, now I'm supposed to be seeing the body from here." He saw a body falling, but it didn't land right in front of the hangar bay door. It fell to the left of it. Dasyu sighed and hung his head. "All I asked was so little and Striker can't even do that. Well, at least he's dead. I want to see the look on the human's body."

He and Xev didn't even take three steps when they heard the last voice Dasyu wanted to hear again. It came over the PA system. _"Hey, Dasyu! I just killed your General Striker. Now I'm gonna kill you!"_

Both supreme commander and General ran to the location of the fallen body. Sure enough, it was the mangled and broken form of Dasyu's second-in-command. A look of shock and horror remained on Striker's face. His right arm and left leg were both missing, broken off on impact with the ground and laying just a few meters away from them.

Dasyu, who was calm and somewhat joyful a moment before, was now shaking and livid. The human killed his second-in-command and probably killed his third. No one had heard from Boronas since the initial attack, and was presumed dead. Furious, he stalked to the armory.

Xev followed and walked beside him. "Sir, where are you going?"

He didn't even look at her; he just kept walking. "I'm going to end this now." He reached the door and it slid open. He had racks of weapons and ammunition stocked to the brim, but he was interested in a glass case at the far side. Dasyu came to it and opened it up. Inside were two small, but powerful pistols. He grabbed them and started to load them.

Xev stood at parade rest. Normally, she'd be lifting her hands up in an effort to calm one of the others, but not her leader. Her voice told a different story, however. "Shouldn't you send the soldiers after the human? If we lose you, there's going to be a whole lot of confusion here."

Dasyu finished loading. "If you want to get something done, you've got to do it yourself." He pointed at her. "Send some troops up to give him something to worry about. I'll be right behind, planning something for him myself. Get my shuttle ready. I want to be done with this and my ship ready to leave before that storm hits us."

She saluted. "Yes, sir."

* * *

Danny got into the elevator and headed down for the hangar. He was on the prowl and would also need some weapons. He only had six shots in his big gauge and the pistol Striker dropped. That was enough to get him to shooting a soldier and taking his weapons. But that was it. He was sure that his ship would be brought here, so that meant he would have an easier time escaping. The tough part was getting to the prisoner bays. If he could, then he would need to open up the cells and fight to the ship.

As the elevator came closer to the hangar level, it screeched to a halt. Danny almost lost his balance in the sudden stop. "Crap! Someone must've shorted the elevator." He looked at the screen and it showed he was at the level above the hangar. There was only one way out. He reached up and opened the escape hatch. It slid open and Danny jumped up, pulling his body up onto the top of the car. If it was one thing he was thankful to Striker for, it was not attacking his limbs. His upper body strength was still 100%, and he had little difficulty climbing up.

"Okay, where's the ladder?" Danny wondered, looking around. He found it quickly and began climbing up. The second floor was only five feet up, but he wanted as much leverage as possible, especially if he was going to open the elevator door to the second floor himself. He found a red lever next to the second floor door. With nothing else to lose, he pulled the lever. The door began opening up, albeit slowly.

Thankfully, no one was nearby to notice him. However, he was going to need a diversion. It came real fast when the alarm started sounding off. A frantic voice followed. "Intruder alert in entry 11! It looks to be…" The rest of the speaker was filled with a blood-gurgling scream.

Danny smiled, but couldn't hold the wince back. "Hate to be that guy." He thought over who could be left and only one name came up. "That's got to be Zee. But where's entry 11?" The robot he encountered in the reactor room only told him what he needed to get to the hangar, but that was it. He didn't know where entry 11 was. _I'll worry about it later_.

He readied his shotgun and got ready to move. He passed through a lot of science rooms, control centers, and network systems. But what caught his attention the most were the uniform rooms. That was his fastest ticket to the hangar without problems. He immediately walked in and closed the door. With red lights flashing and alarms blaring, no one could hear him. It was excellent camouflage, but the uniform would greatly help even more.

Immediately shucking his clothes, he tried on various sizes and finally came down to a tiger-striped medium uniform and matching pants. His broad shoulders made it difficult to get the jacket on, but he managed. Remembering the military style of his country, Danny tucked the leggings into his boots. He grabbed a hat to further disguise his face from others. He re-slung his shotgun and grabbed a pistol holster for his sidearm. Attaching it and placing the pistol inside, he looked at the mirror. Danny looked himself up and down before nodding. "Just like one of the bad guys."

Danny opened the door and walked down the corridor. His first test came immediately, as he saw three soldiers coming his way. He tensed, but force himself to relax. _Don't worry, D. The alarms are going off and the lights are flashing. And with this uniform on, as far as they know, we're all on the same team._ He walked by them as they ran through the hall, glancing his way, but not paying him much attention. Relief and confidence flooded Danny's body. "At least it works."

He rounded the corner to see three more soldiers. This time, he saw a distinction of rank; one was wearing a black uniform. _A commander! He will know some answers. Of course, I have to deal with the dogs first._

Closing in, he heard the commander talking to them. "Okay, you two head down the corridor. We stopped the elevator, so the human should be stuck inside. You two will wedge the door open and drop down onto the car. Be quiet when you do that. This human is known to be unpredictable and dangerous in defense. Don't underestimate him."

They turned and saw Danny walking their way, but only saw the uniform and passed him on as one of their own men. Danny waited until the three soldiers passed. Danny pulled his shotgun off his back and aimed at the soldier on the left. His shot blew the soldier forward, killing him instantly. The other soldier turned around, only to get his face blown away. Danny charged the commander as he was turning around. He slammed the butt of his shotgun into the commander's head.

The commander hit the wall and rebounded. But Danny pressed him back against it. The commander felt as though someone put an axe through his head. He growled. "You're gonna pay for that, human."

"Maybe, but not now. I need a little information from you right now. Where is entry 11 from this point?"

"Kiss off, punk."

Danny rewarded him with a little electrical dose from the taser. He slammed the commander's head into the wall to keep from screaming. "That was strike one. I'll ask again, where's entry 11?"

The commander craned his neck, trying to look his enemy in the eyes. "What if I don't have that answer?"

He felt the barrel of the shotgun brush against the side of his head. The human said, "Then you get to join the ranks of headless commanders." That was a reference to the heads of the two commanders he had blown off with the m107. "You wanna try me?"

The soldier realized this was going to get ugly if he didn't tell him. "Entry 11 is located by the docking hangar adjacent to the hangar bay. Just keep going down this hall until you see some stairs. You'll enter the hangar and have to go down about 200 yards. It's a yellow and black door on the left."

"See? That wasn't so hard to say. You could've saved yourself some pain, chump." Danny backed up. "However, I can't have you following me nor alerting others to me." He slammed the shotgun's stock into the back of the commander's head, knocking him out. The commander slumped to the ground against the wall.

Danny grabbed the weapons of the soldiers, which ended up being an AK-74. Unlike the AK-47, this weapon had greater range, but it carried 5.45x39mm rounds, meaning it was more accurate but packed a less powerful punch than its predecessor. He would have to make do. He grabbed five magazines and two frag grenades. It wasn't much, but it was better than only what was loaded in a shotgun and pistol.

"I really would like to know how these alien robots got their hands on our weapons. I would've thought they would have some laser rifles or something. And why do they need uniforms?" He put it aside. These were topics he would have to answer later.

He was ready to move, and move he did. He sprinted down the hall. Because of the close quarters, and the fact that the docking hangar was not, he carried his shotgun at the ready. Danny wasn't going to take anymore chances. He was going to blast anything that got in his way. He was going to find Zainabu, rescue the lionesses, and get out of Dodge. He wouldn't let his friends' deaths be for nothing.

An unfortunate security officer came out from a door and had the displeasure of being on the business end of the shotgun, as Danny blew him away and kept running. The alarms served as a great silencer for the weapons, but eventually, things were going to turn worse for him like they did earlier. He reached the stairs and found two more soldiers on their way up. They froze when they saw him, because they thought Danny was one of them. But the shotgun told them otherwise. Danny gave no reaction time as he shot both of them, draining the last of his shotgun shells. He dropped the weapon and brought up the AK-74.

The walk down the stairs was quick and silenced due to alarms. Once he got out into the docking hangar, he ran to one of the Blade fighters for cover. Danny scanned the area for enemies, and found them grouped down a ways, about 200 yards down. He didn't see anyone else, so he headed down there.

He stopped. "Wait…200 yards. That's what the guy said entry 11 was at. There are enemies down there and that's where Zee…" It didn't take long before the picture was painted in his head, and he began moving down the hangar a lot faster. Danny's heart was beating hard now. Not from the cardio workout he was getting, but from the fact that the one he cared about the most was in danger. If anything happened to Zainabu, he would never forgive himself.

As he got closer, he could see that Zainabu was still alive, but cornered and in need of some help. There were about eight soldiers, half of them carried weapons, the other half carried what looked like stun guns and a net. It was clear that they were trying to capture her, but would kill her if necessary. Her growling and roaring made the troops wary.

Danny wasn't going to let that happen. "Zee, I'm coming. Just hang on," he said out loud. He took aim at the soldier with the weapon closest to Zainabu, who was hiding behind some cover. The accuracy of the weapon held true, as his shots hit center mass. As the first soldier went down, Danny shifted to the one closest to him. The soldier got off a burst, but it wasn't even close. Danny's burst was another center mass kill.

The remaining two soldiers got off their shots, one hitting Danny right in the calf. Pain shot up through Danny's leg as he screamed out. He already had been beaten and shot in the arm. Now, he had another mark to his name; this one was the most painful. He tried to ignore it and return fire. He drained the first magazine trying to get the other two soldiers. The four others were dropping the net and stun guns and reaching for their pistols. Danny grabbed one of the grenades, pulled the pin, and rolled it out along the floor. One soldier saw it and ran to pick the grenade up and throw it back. He was too late, as he disappeared into a cloud of smoke and shrapnel.

When the smoke cleared, three soldiers were lying on the floor and one was crawling to his weapon. Danny made short work of him and focused on the other two soldiers. Thankfully, only one with a rifle remained. He was the biggest threat, and Danny targeted him. He was hard to hit, being behind some crates and a fighter above him. Danny fired, but his shots hit the Blade.

The other soldier was too busy staying down. He was freaking out, thinking all the shots were coming at him, so Danny didn't aim his way. _Yet._ He reloaded his rifle and aimed down his sights. That was when he noticed something. The holes he put into the Blade had punctured the fuel line, and gas was leaking all around the soldier's immediate area. Danny aimed at the gas and fired.

He kept firing until the rounds set off a spark. That spark grew into a huge, flaming disaster. The soldier behind the crates was caught in it and set on fire. The soldier screamed and ran out onto the hangar floor. His screams pierced Danny's core, and Danny did the only merciful thing for both of them: put him out of his misery. Danny put two rounds into the soldier, and the body dropped to the ground, still burning.

Danny found the last soldier making a run for it, and he used the last of his magazine "walking" his fire up the body of the soldier. The rifle clicked empty, but it didn't matter. He had saved Zainabu, but it came at the price of his leg. It was very difficult to stand, much less walk. Yet he still was able to limp his way to where Zainabu was at. "Zee! Are you alright?"

The lioness made it out from behind her cover. She was still alert, but relieved to see Danny coming her way. "Yeah, I think so." She noticed the limp in his walk and her mouth gaped. "Did you get shot?"

"I'll live. Don't worry about it."

"Where's Malka at?"

Danny stopped in his tracks. "He's dead." He saw Zainabu drop her head in sadness. "Come on, we gotta get out of here before we end up the same."

Zainabu looked up, and fear overcame her. She saw a straggling soldier come from behind one of the fighters, and he was carrying a rifle. He was bringing his weapon up, and he was aiming right for Danny. She bolted for the man she cared so much about, running as though there was no tomorrow. "Danny!" Everything seemed to go slowly, like a nightmare one was trying to escape from. Time thickened as she came closer.

Danny turned around to see the soldier aiming at him. He had no time to reload and he was out in the open with no cover. He had been very lucky to fight this far up until now, but it seemed that his luck had finally run out. Just as the soldier centered his sights, he felt Zainabu push him out of the way, knocking him to the ground. Danny slid a foot from his standing position, losing his rifle.

Then it happened. Danny was no longer in the soldier's sights, but he was replaced by Zainabu. The time seemed to really go slow, as the burst of fire screamed through the air. Danny watched in horror, as all four shots punctured through the body of the lioness he had known for seven years. Zainabu's painful expression shattered Danny's heart as he watched her fall. Zainabu, his longtime friend and companion, was fatally shot.

"NNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

He quickly pulled out his pistol and aimed for the soldier. His first few shots hit the soldier, and the others sailed wide. It was enough to drop the soldier, and he didn't seem to be moving. Danny didn't care. He twisted around.

Zainabu was laying on the ground, and she wasn't moving either. Tears welled up in Danny's eyes as he crawled to her. "Zainabu, hold on." He reached her and held her head in his arms. He looked at her wounds and knew she was in critical condition. "Hold on, now. You're alright."

"Cold…so cold…" Zainabu said, weakly.

Danny held her close to his chest. "Hey, you're alright. You're gonna be fine. I'll take care of you and we'll get you back on your feet." He was trying to comfort her as best as he could, but deep down he was trying to deny the inevitable. He didn't want to lose Zainabu, of all friends. That word didn't do her any justice; she was more than a friend to him. The tears began falling down his cheeks.

Zainabu shook her head, but Danny was afraid it was a twitch. "I'm not going…to pull through."

Now, Danny was getting frustrated and angry, but from the pain of seeing her die like this. "You're not gonna die! You _are _gonna make it." She was starting to cough up blood now. Danny wiped it from her mouth and was now going from angry to pleading. "Zainabu, you can't die. Please don't die on me. I…I…"

The lioness looked up at him, right in the eyes. "What is it? Please…please…tell me. You…what?"

Danny was trying to avoid saying it for years, because of the pain of leaving her behind would make the statement worse. Now, he felt like he was saying it way too late. "I…I love you, Zainabu. I-I always have, and I always will. I was afraid of saying it, though. Because I didn't want to cause you more pain when I planned to leave." He gently stroked her fur as he continued. "I'm sorry I waited so long to say it. You were the one person who was deeply interested in my life back home. What I did, what sports I like to play, what school life was like. None of the others cared as much as you, not even Sarabi. From the very first day we met, you were nice to me. At that time, I can't tell you how much that meant to me. I needed someone to talk to, to hang out with. I just wish things were different now."

In spite of her pain, Zainabu reached up and touched him with her paw. "No. I'm glad things…were what they were. From the very moment you entered my life, I knew that I would have someone to talk with, to walk with. You made me laugh, we had fun…together." She rested her head on his chest, enjoying what warmth she could get. "You completed me, Danny. You made me whole. Now, I can leave this world knowing that you had always loved me."

She could see the pain and tears in his face. "Don't be sad. I…don't have…any…regrets. If it…wasn't for you…my life would have little meaning. I'm so thankful you were a part of my life, Danny. I love you so much, and I will never stop loving you."

Danny couldn't help but choke up in tears. "Zainabu…"

"I'll see you on the other side, Danny. I…love…you…" She gave him one last smile, before her eyes closed.

Danny shook his head, refusing to let her go. "Zainabu…" Her smile disappeared, replaced by a ghostly expression. "…I won't leave you." Zainabu breathed her last, and she was gone.

At first, he couldn't do anything. He couldn't breathe. The joy of his life, Zainabu, was now dead. Danny felt completely empty. He couldn't move, he couldn't breathe, he couldn't feel. Danny pulled away, and his breathing returned in short, shallow breaths. He could feel the wave of emotions crashing on him, and he began to shake. "Oh, God. God help me, God help me, God help me…"

The emotions hit him in full force and he broke down, crying his eyes out. Tears cascaded down his cheeks, and he pounded his fist into the ground. He curled up into a fetal position, letting out loud sobs. He had lost his family, his friends, and Zainabu. It was as if things were stacked against him in everything, and as much as he fought, he couldn't overcome them. _Why God? Why is this happening to me? Why couldn't you just kill me and not my friends?_

Soon, something else crept inside of him. Something dark. The painful emotions were wiped away, except for one thing. Danny's red-rimmed eyes opened, full of anger and hatred. What little was left of him died with Zainabu, now replaced by a cold, ice-blooded shell. One desire and goal was left in him and he was going to fulfill it for all the pain caused in his life.

Kill Dasyu.

Danny got up like an automaton, and reloaded his rifle. Gone was the kind-hearted man, replaced by a ghost. No emotion, no remorse. Just one thing remained. "You owe me your blood, Dasyu. And…I…will…HAVE IT!"

* * *

Back in the Pride Lands, Tanabi and Kovu were reaching the base of Pride Rock. Already, they were about to drop from exhaustion. Simba was a full grown adult lion, who was practically dead weight with his condition. He was still unconscious, and though the two younger counterparts were strong, they had been carrying him all the way from the borders of the Pride Lands. That was a huge burden for anyone to carry, and the lack of water plus the heat was starting to get to them.

They came closer to Pride Rock. Already, the animals who saw the three lions made way so that they had a straight, open line to their home. Already, lionesses who were sitting down had noticed, and began alerting the rest of the pride. Others began running to them. Timon and Pumbaa were among the first animals to sprint to their longtime friend.

Tanabi sighed. "Wow, I should've realized all this peace would make Pops a little soft."

Kovu looked at him incredulously. "You're complaining?"

"No, I'm just stating the facts. That's all." He glanced up at his father. "At least he's alive. I'm definitely thankful for that."

Timon, Pumbaa, and Nala reached them first. Kiara could be seen right behind with Xolani and a few other lionesses beside her. Tanabi looked at his mother, who was stricken at seeing her mate like this. "Tanabi, what happened?"

Tanabi groaned. "We got ambushed. I got ambushed in a separate spot, and then went to help these two. I only came at the end to pull them out of the gorge."

"The gorge!" Nala asked, not expecting to hear that.

It was Kovu who answered. "Yeah, long story short, Simba and I were ambushed by Zira and the other Outsiders. I'm fine, but Simba's hurt pretty badly. You need to get that monkey friend of yours to help him."

"Rafiki." That was more of a statement than a question from Nala. She turned to Timon and Pumbaa. "I need you both to get Rafiki right away. You know where to go."

Timon saluted. "Yes, my queen. We're on it." He hopped on Pumbaa's back, but before they left, Timon brushed his hand on Simba's mane. "Don't worry, buddy. Help is on the way." With that, they took off.

Kiara ran up to them, and held the same expression as her mother. "Daddy! Tanabi, what happened?"

Tanabi smiled glumly. "Let's just say this wasn't what I expected for a morning walk."

"That makes two of us," Kovu added. He shifted Simba up his back a little. "Could we get some help carrying him? We've been carrying him from the borders and our backs are killing us."

A couple lionesses came up next to them and they shifted Simba onto their backs, giving Tanabi and Kovu a break. They all walked to Pride Rock. The other animals gasped at seeing their king in his condition, and they whispered amongst each other while parting ways for the pride.

Walking up the base was difficult, but they made it up. The pride all stood at attention and moved aside so that the lionesses carrying Simba could get through. Xolani kept the pride outside while Nala, Kiara, Kovu, and Tanabi went in. After setting him down, the lionesses left to rejoin the others. The four sat in a semicircle around Simba. He seemed to be breathing fine, but he was not waking up. He looked pretty torn up, and Kovu knew Simba's shoulder was torqued pretty good. He wasn't sure if the king would be able to run much.

Kiara looked at the two lions. "So, talk to me. What happened out there?"

Tanabi held up a paw. "We'll talk about it later. Kovu and I both need to collect our energy and our thoughts."

"I just hope it's before the battle begins," Kovu said. Everyone turned to look at him. He shifted uncomfortably. He hated being the center of attention, especially in a situation like this.

"What battle?" Nala asked.

"I'm pretty sure we killed Nuka in the process of escape. Plus I sided with all of you. There's no way Zira's going to let this go unanswered. She'll gather the Outsiders and come to take over the pride."

"But we have less lionesses than her," Kiara said, definitely nervous. "And with Daddy like this-"

"There is one advantage to all of this," Kovu interrupted. "She'll most likely wait until dark to make her move. That buys us some time. If Simba regains consciousness and is able to fight, then things will be more evenly stacked."

"That's not even including the fact that we have two male lions ready to fight," Nala replied. "Three if Simba recovers. But they definitely do have more lionesses than us, especially with some of our more experienced fighters taken from us."

Kiara nodded. "I wonder if Danny-"

A sudden breath of air intake caused everyone to return their attention to Simba. His eyes were open and alert, but he didn't even seem to notice the eyes all locked on him. He stared up at the top of the cave as if he was staring into the beyond. "What the…?"

His consciousness brought jubilation to Kiara's face. "Daddy, are you alright? Are you feeling better?"

He didn't seem to answer her. Instead, he began speaking in a delusional tone. "Wha's happen-" Simba's already alert eyes widened even more. "Danny?"

Tanabi frowned. "Uh, Danny's not here, Dad."

"Danny? Oh, dear God. No. Danny…oh my God. Oh, God. Please, no." Tears were streaming down Simba's eyes. "Oh, please. Danny…no, it can't be…" Simba kept repeating the words over and over.

Kovu didn't know what to make of this. It sounded like he was simply delirious and having hallucinations. But another part of him told him something was terribly wrong, and it wasn't about Simba's condition.

Kiara looked at Nala. "Mom, what's wrong with him?"

Nala said what Kovu was thinking. "I'm not sure, but I think something terribly wrong is going on with Danny."

* * *

Dasyu watched the live footage of Danny going through the corridors, killing everything in his sight. Dasyu noticed something different about the human. He wasn't fighting with youthful energy and a higher goal in mind. He was fighting and killing in ice-cold precision and unrelenting ruthlessness. It looked as if there was no emotion, no thought of mercy in any soldier he came by.

One particular shooting that made him cringe was when he shot a lone soldier in the docking hangar. He didn't kill him, but wound him. When five other soldiers came to help him, Danny killed each and every one of them. When he had enough, he killed the wounded soldier. The Specter shook his head. _This man thinks and fights like me._

Dasyu watched him gun down a soldier in the corridor. Danny approached the soldier, who was trying to crawl away from him. "Please don't kill me. I-I'll pay you whatever you want. I swear you'll never see me again."

"I know I won't," he said coldly, and shot the soldier right in the head. He kept walking until he was out of the camera's angle.

Dasyu switched to the next one and watched two more soldiers try to ambush Danny. It worked, but the human was faster than them at getting their weapons to bear. Danny killed one instantly and wounded the other. It was pretty much the same stuff as the last set of footage from before. The soldier dragged himself away, holding his hand up in fear as Danny walked over towards him. It was then Dasyu noticed he had a limp, most likely from a gunshot wound.

"Please, sir. Don't kill me. Oh, God! Please, DON'T-" Danny's pistol shut him up for good.

Danny started walking again, but stopped where he was. As if he knew where the security camera was positioned, Danny slowly looked at the camera. He wasn't looking at the camera. He was looking straight at Dasyu. He knew who was watching him the whole time. He aimed his pistol up at the camera and shot it, disrupting the video feed.

For the first time in his existence, Dasyu felt fear. He actually feared someone in his life. He feared this human, but he was starting to wonder if he was fighting a human or a demon. Danny had single-handedly destroyed his first drone factory, and dealt a huge amount of damage and lost lives here at his stronghold. The kicker of the whole situation was that this was _one_ man who did this. He knew his men were excellent fighters, but Danny made it look all too easy for himself.

He grabbed his pistols and readied himself. "The only way this ends, is by killing him myself. The only way to make him understand that one man doesn't make a difference, is by killing him."

* * *

Danny limped his way down the hall. He was only about fifty feet from the stairs leading into the hangar bay. There, he would find the prisoner complex. He was going to release Sarabi and the others, but he would tell them to leave and head as far away as possible from here. He was now without anyone; just a walking shell. He was a ghost, a man who now had feelings pass right through him without batting an eye.

He wanted Dasyu. He wanted to take the knife he grabbed from a dead soldier and plunge it right through Dasyu's twisted heart, if he even had one. Danny heard a door open up and he pulled out a grenade and tossed it out in front of him. The grenade exploded as four guards came out. The shrapnel ripped through each and every one of them, all dead in an instant.

Danny already felt numb. Not just emotionally, but it was becoming a physical presence. His walk was without destiny, without stride, just a simple destination: whatever hole Dasyu was hiding in. Danny would find him, and he would kill him. He didn't care if Dasyu suffered or not; he just wanted the Specter dead.

As he passed by a door, it suddenly opened. A soldier came out, tackling him against the wall. Danny reached for his pistol, but it had fallen out of his grasp. He punched the soldier in the face and threw him back into the room he came from. Pain shot through his wounded leg, but he ignored it. This soldier got in his way, and he was going to kill him. He grabbed the soldier by the neck and threw him against the glass window. Outside, a thunderstorm was booming and rain pattered against the glass. As the soldier got up, Danny made a running jump kick that connected with the soldier's chest. The soldier hit the glass hard.

The force of the impact was enough to shatter the glass, and the soldier fell down to the ground below, screaming. Danny looked out for a second before heading back into the hall.

His ammunition was running dry. He only had one pistol magazine left and had to acquire another weapon, this one being an MP5. He only had two magazines, but it would be more than enough if he ran into Dasyu.

Danny reached the stairs and limped down. The alarms were still going off, so no one could hear him coming. Five soldiers were on their way up the stairs, and Danny aimed his submachine gun at them. When they were in clear sight, he opened fire and mowed them down. The weapon clicked empty and he slapped the last clip in.

He reached the bottom and entered the hangar. Sure enough, the _**Paratus Preliator **_was brought into the hangar. Dasyu wasn't bluffing after all. Danny's attention was drawn to the technicians who were about to board the ship. One noticed Danny, but didn't have time to scream. Danny's MP5 made sure of that. The others who heard the shots panicked, and ran out of the hangar to different doors.

Danny didn't notice the soldier coming at him from behind. His attention was too focused on the techs that he didn't look for the _armed_ threats. The trooper grabbed him by the throat and pressed Danny against the wall. His grip was like an iron vise, and Danny was feeling light-headed and couldn't breathe. _I'm not gonna lose to this scumbag. _

He reached for his knife and stabbed the soldier in the neck. Danny felt the hand releasing from his neck as the soldier screamed and tried to get the knife out. "Here, let me help you with that." The man pulled the knife out of the guard's neck, but produced his pistol and shot the him in the chest.

Danny walked over to the prisoner bay and opened the double doors. The bay was one, long corridor. He could see cells that would go on forever. The cells themselves didn't have bars, but rather laser walls of some sort. There were also no guards on sight, most likely because of everything that had been happening.

He walked down the halls. It didn't take long to find the ones he had been looking for all along. He saw Sarabi, Ebere, Berhane, Kula, Aziza, and Shani. Danny was expecting them to be relieved at seeing him again. Instead, they were all panicking. Danny frowned. _Why are they panicking like this?_

Then he remembered. Remembered all those nightmares he had. A couple were different, but they all were virtually the same. It was the same prisoner room he was in. He was about to rescue Sarabi, but he was shot from behind. It was all a dream about to come true and that meant he was…

Danny pulled out his pistol and turned around, expecting to see someone with a pistol there. There was nothing there. He shook his head. _This doesn't make any sense at all._

_Boooooommmm!_

He jerked back involuntarily as pain jolted his body. Danny heard a grunt, but it took a second to realize it was his own. He felt it hard to breath and he looked down at his chest. His hand was clutching it tightly, and blood was pouring out of the exit wound. He was shot. He lost all feeling in his nerves and he dropped the pistol.

"Noble drive, Danny," Dasyu said from behind him. "But you are not invincible."

Danny turned around and began walking toward Dasyu. His one-track mentality was keeping him going. _Kill him!_ Dasyu shot him again, this time in the stomach. Again, Danny jerked back from the pain, he felt his body fading already.

Dasyu smirked. "It's time to toss in the towel and retire, Danny. You had a good run."

In spite of the pain, Danny kept walking. _Kill him! I must kill him!_ He walked until he was four paces away from Dasyu, before the latter shot him for the third time. Danny could feel his legs shaking and he couldn't move any further. He looked up and stared hard and defiant at Dasyu. Blood was now pouring from Danny's mouth from the internal damage. He knew he was dying, but now even the strong mentality to kill Dasyu wasn't enough for his body to obey his mind. He fell to the ground on all fours.

Sarabi watched everything take place. With the sound of every shot on Danny, it was accompanied by the sound of Sarabi's heart breaking at seeing her surrogate son being killed. She had been the one who was being strong for the others. Ebere and Berhane lost sons, while Aziza, Shani, and Kula each lost mates. Now, the one they had all loved and looked up to, was now at the final chapter of his life. She broke down in a crying heap, but her eyes were locked on Danny's form.

Dasyu circled around Danny like a predator to trapped prey. He watched Danny struggle to look back up in his face. Dasyu narrowed his eyes. "I am truly going to miss you. You were so much fun. But now, it's time for you to move on." He lifted his pistol up. "Maybe to a better place, where you can be with your family and friends. A place where you won't be rejected nor an outsider like you were here. A place where you can truly be happy and never be alone." He aimed the pistol at Danny's head, right in the man's peripheral vision. "Consider this a favor I'm doing for you."

He clicked the action lever on the pistol. The words were ever so familiar to the human. "Welcome to my world, Danny."

The last thing Danny saw was a flash of light, before darkness claimed him. Daniel Manning, oldest of three children and co-king of the Pride Lands, was gone.

* * *

Simba woke up once again. This time, only Nala was present. But again, he didn't notice her presence. He seemed to be delusional to the others, but he was seeing the ending events where Danny was at. It seemed like it was so real, but at the same time, he felt as though he were dreaming. He wasn't sure what to think about it. All he knew was what he saw.

In a weak voice, he said, "Danny? Are you there? Danny?"

* * *

**I hate to break it to you guys who were holding out for a miracle, but Danny and Zainabu ARE dead. As for Simba, you'll have to wait and see. Hey, had to keep up with the canon of the two movies, even though I've kinda strayed off a bit. I already know that some of you are gonna send me hate-mail for killing the characters that I wrote. Go figure. Stay tuned for the next chapter.**


	26. The Fog of War

**Hey, guys. I figured most would be upset with me for what I did in the last chapter, but that's part of the story. But anyways, sorry it's been awhile since I last updated. College is a real pain in the tail, and the adjustment period is rough to get re-used to. I'm nearly done with the story, so just bear with me as best as you can. It's time to bring this story back to Simba's side. Enjoy the chapter and get back to me.**

* * *

The Pride Lands were stirring with talk all from all herds, packs, and individuals. It had only been an hour when Simba was brought to the cave, but already everyone in the Pride Lands and their brother knew about the king's condition. An attempt to take his life had happened near the edge of the Pride Lands, and Zazu was quick to do damage control. He knew the queen was in no condition to talk, with Kiara and Tanabi not much better off. But sooner or later, the queen would have to shore up her responsibilities and tell the people. In the meantime, Zazu would do what he could to keep the people calm, but informed.

Timon and Pumbaa were still not back, mainly from having to travel a long distance to inform Rafiki of the king's wounds, and Nala was getting worried. She could tell Simba was in great pain, but she didn't know if his injuries were life-threatening. He had woken up from his coma, at times. But he was not aware of her or the others. He would go in a delirious talk or rant before slipping back into unconsciousness.

Nala sat at Simba's side, keeping her paw on her mate. If Kovu was right, and the Outsiders attacked, then they would need all the help they could get. Zira had probably not given her pride any mercy in her training them, and they would be fighting to the last breath. _Simba, I hope you recover soon, because we're gonna need you in this fight._

She heard footsteps and turned to see her son come up to her. She smiled and bumped heads with him. "Tanabi, I thought you would be outside with your sister and brother."

"Kiara is with Kovu right now. I didn't want to disturb them." He ducked down to reveal Kopa on his head, holding onto his mane. "As for little bro, I've been having a difficult time getting him off my back." The little cub jumped off of Tanabi. "No pun intended."

Kopa walked up and placed his paws on his father's mane. He looked up at his mother. "Hey, Mama. Is Dad okay?"

Nala pulled him away from Simba. "Yes, honey. He's just very tired, so he needs his sleep." She gave him a reassuring smile, but she was thankful he couldn't see the worry in her eyes. She didn't want him crying at the fact that his father was seriously hurt. She nudged him towards the mouth of the cave. "Why don't you go play with your friends? They might want to have some fun with you."

Kopa jumped for joy and ran out of the cave. Tanabi watched him sprint off like a blur. "If he keeps that up, he'll be hunting with the lionesses."

"Yeah, he gets that from his mother's side of the family," Nala teased. "I'd say the same for you too. But Kiara definitely inherited a lot of your father, which makes her the most challenging of the three of you. Of course, if it wasn't for challenging, raising children wouldn't be fun."

Tanabi forced a laugh. "Yeah, I'll keep that in mind when I get married."

"What do you think of Tavira?" Nala asked. She was sure what his answer was, but she wanted to hear it out loud. Since they were on the subject, she thought it best to clear the air right now.

The look on her son's face told the story: he wasn't interested. "She's too high maintenance for me. I couldn't see myself with her at all. Granted, she's attractive, but she gives me that 'serve the queen' impression."

Nala sighed in relief. "That makes two of us. She doesn't seem to be the best choice in the world. Have you found anyone at all interesting?"

Tanabi's thoughts were directed on Vitani, the lioness who attacked him earlier. He wasn't sure how he felt about her, but he did seem to be much more at ease with her than the other young lionesses in the pride here. However, he wasn't going to reveal that the one he was interested in was one of Zira's pride. "I've found two or three, but I'm not in any rush right now. I'd just prefer to wait and get settled back in. You gotta remember, Mom, that I've only been back here for a few days."

She held up her paw. "Okay, okay. I was just curious." She looked back at Simba. "I wonder how he's doing…"

"Yeah, he's been coming in and out. It's like he's in another world. But I'm sure he'll pull through just fine. Pops took quite a fall into the gorge, from what Kovu told me. If he didn't get up and keep running, _then_ I'd be worried about the old guy."

Nala arched an eyebrow. "You know, in many cases, that's disrespect to talk about your king and father like that. You might want to be a little more formal about him."

Tanabi shrugged. "What's he gonna do? Exile me?" He chuckled. "Mom, I've got most of my informality from both him and Uncle Danny. You can't blame me for my upbringing and survival-of-the-fittest lifestyle I've been living the last few years."

She popped her eyebrows up for a split second. "Good point. Even when he tries to be formal, your father still can't get rid of that other side of him. Danny probably wasn't much help either." She smiled and shook her head. "It's so hard to believe that your uncle was around just before I was born, and yet I'm considered older than him in maturity. Not that he's immature, or anything like that."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. He says humans have a longer lifespan than us and that lions generally don't have as many males in a pride as we do."

"What else did he tell you?" Nala said, sounding amused.

The young lion let a smug grin surface on his expression. "He also said that lionesses do the majority of the work, while the pride lions do the equivalent of watching television and drinking beer, whatever that means. But I'm sure he means that we do nothing by that."

"Well that's certainly true," Nala said. "Aside from decision making and patrols, you lions just sit around and sleep."

"Now, that's _not_ true. We lions patrol the borders for rogues and defend the pride from danger. Not to mention that Dad makes decisions for the people. That's not an easy job."

"That's what she said," Nala remarked, having the satisfaction of seeing her son's jaw drop. But it did help ease the tension she was feeling about Simba. She was worried about him, but all she could do was wait. Having a good conversation with her son helped her immensely. But even a good conversation couldn't make the worry go away completely, just her mate's full recovery.

* * *

Kovu sat outside of the cave. He was glad that he had finally gained Simba's respect and trust. However, a wave of guilt settled over him. He could've avoided this entire fiasco by simply admitting the whole thing to both him and Kiara in the morning. They never would've gone out to the borders or even the gorge, not without escort anyways. If anything happened to Simba, he would never be able to get rid of the guilt, and nothing anyone else could say or do would help.

He slapped himself mentally. "Why did I agree to walk out that far? Why was I the one to escape okay and Simba got injured?"

"Who are you talking to, Kovu?"

Kovu turned to see Kiara walk up to him. She had a smile on her face, but her eyes held concern. Not just for her father, but for Kovu as well. She already knew what the deal was with Kovu, that he was a spy whose mission was to infiltrate the pride and kill her father. She knew he had a change of heart, mostly because of his love for her. Kiara sat down beside him. "You gonna answer or just give me the silent treatment?"

Kovu didn't smile; he just hung his head. "Just to myself, I guess." He closed his eyes. "If I had just told him about the whole plan right away, he would be just fine and not laying in the cave in a coma."

Kiara licked his face. "Kovu, you can't beat yourself over this. It happened and there's nothing you could've done about it."

"Kiara, a lot of things fell apart in the gorge."

"Tanabi told me, I know," she was starting to sound a little edgy.

"But I don't think you know how much. You were here, and not there with me and Simba."

She rolled her eyes. "Why can't you just believe you did everything you could?"

Kovu looked down at the ground. He didn't like where this was going, but he had to make her understand his side as best as possible. He wasn't as sure as she was, but part of that was because she wasn't at the gorge when the attack happened, and he was. "Did I? I don't know." He walked over to the side of the promontory arch. "Maybe I shouldn't have let him take us out there. Maybe I was afraid he would exile me if I confessed. Maybe I panicked."

Kiara looked at him with bewilderment. _I can't believe he just said that._ "From what I heard, you were the one lion who didn't panic. So why don't you do us a favor and quit hording all the guilt?"

The dark lion sighed. _Why can't this be an easy explanation?_ "Kiara, what you hear and what you experience are two different things. If you were there, you would understand."

"I've experienced how calm you are. You saved my life from the fire, remember?" She returned and nuzzled him softly. She didn't want to raise her voice, but it was the only way to get through to him right now. "You just need to accept it for what it is, Kovu. Because it's not going to get much better. Best case scenario is that Father recovers and things will be back to normal."

"It doesn't get much better?" Kovu repeated. "That might be the case, Kiara. But it can get a lot worse, much worse than you think. I highly doubt it'll get back to normal anytime soon." He focused his gaze from her ruby eyes to the borders, the border where the Outsiders were.

Kiara looked that way and back to Kovu. "You're not just worried about Simba, aren't you? You're worried about whether or not Zira attacks now."

Kovu managed a mirthless laugh. "Oh, I know she's going to attack. I'm just worried about the lives that will be lost in the process, especially my sister, Vitani." The very thought threatened to rip open his heart. "If anything happens to my sister, I'll never be the same. I just wish there was some other way of resolving this."

He felt the soft, feeling of Kiara rubbing her head into his mane. The warm feeling made him feel much better, but it didn't alleviate his concern. Still, he was very grateful to have a lioness who loved him and sympathized with him like Kiara. "Thanks for listening, Kiara. I love you."

"That's what I'm here for, Kovu. I love you too."

They remained close to each other, until the sound of the people stirring loudly caused them to look out. In the distance, they could see three figures coming in at a quick pace. Once they could make out the mandrill, they knew it was Timon, Pumbaa, and Rafiki. Kiara broke from their embrace. "Rafiki's here. I need to tell Mother."

Kovu followed suit, but not before taking another look at the distant border. He sighed. "Vitani, I pray you are safe and sound. I hope nothing happens to you."

* * *

Rafiki tended to Simba. The family remained distant to let Rafiki concentrate on Simba's wounds. Everyone was letting anxiety get the best of them, wondering if the shaman would be able to determine his health status. Rafiki had brought many gourds, spices, and herbs with him. However, the look on his face, before his back was turned to them, was lacking the confidence he bore in the past. Right now, it would take a miracle.

He could easily see the dislocated shoulder. There was nothing he could do about that. It would have to heal on its own. The chest had some bruising and he placed a large amount of gourd juice on Simba's midsection, hoping that it would be enough. After feeling his head and looking at Simba's eyes, he was certain he had sustained a concussion. He placed a handful of gourd juice and herbs on his nose and eyelids.

It wasn't going to be long before he would have to report the king's health to the queen. The mandrill only hoped that the queen would be able to handle duties for a while, at least until the king was much better. He was glad Kiara and Kovu were brought together, but he wondered how this fit into the Creator's plans.

He finished with a prayer and headed outside. Nala was waiting expectantly for him, hoping to hear some good news. Rafiki sighed and bowed before the queen. "My lady, I am finished."

"Is he going to be okay?"

"He has taken a concussion and has a dislocated shoulder. Der is nothing I can do for dat and his chest also is bruised. Other dan dat, he is going to be fine." He tried to think of how he was going to say his final portion of his report. "For reasons I can't explain, he won't wake up."

Nala's slowly forming smile faded at the last statement. "What?"

"I don't know wat to say. I am truly sorry, my queen. He is wit da kings, for da time being."

As hurt as she was, there was nothing more that could be done. "Thank you, Rafiki. You may go home now." She watched as the mandrill began his long walk back to his tree, and looked at the others. Kiara was already showing her emotions and even Tanabi sniffed a little. Kovu simply dipped his head in sorrow. They were all hurting just like her, but as queen, she had a duty to do. She looked at the two lions of the group. "I need you both to begin drawing up a battle strategy. If Zira does attack, then I want us to be ready…" It took her forever to get the words out. "…with Simba or without him. I will address the crowd. You gather the lionesses and tell them what to do."

"What are you gonna do, Mom?" Kiara asked.

"I'm going to inform the people. They have to know what's going on."

As Nala walked up the promontory arch, Tanabi waved all of the pride's lionesses over to him. They all formed a circle around them, while Tanabi and Kovu quickly conversed among each other, keeping their voices low. Kiara told the lionesses what was going on and they simply waited for either of the two lions to say something.

Tanabi shook his mane and idly pawed the ground. "So what do we do here? Do you want to give the strategy or should I?"

"Maybe I should. I know how Zira thinks, how she acts, and how she fights. I will give a good defensive strategy to anticipate the Outsider's moves, you teach them something on the offensive side and how to shake them off. You seem to do a good job at that."

"Yeah, I guess I do," Tanabi said with a laugh. "Get to it."

Kovu turned and face the lionesses. All of them looked at him expectantly. Some were a little surprised that Kovu was giving out the strategy. Others were just focused on what was going to happen. This was one thing Kovu was confident in what to do. He didn't feel nervous to the point of stuttering, but it was there. "You all know me, so I'm going to be straight to the point. Zira is most likely going to attack, and it's probably going to happen at night."

He extended his claws and began drawing in the sand. "Since I've been living with the Outsiders for almost my entire life, I know how they will attack, how they will move, and how they will evade. I need you to gather closely and listen, but make sure everyone has a decent sight." They all obeyed as he began his strategy.

"The Outsiders are very aggressive in their attacks and defense. Their fundamentals are unbelievably sound, so any sloppiness in ours can lead to casualties. The best way to counter this is with an agile attack. We're most likely going to attack each other in a line, so the front line is going to charge. As we charge, everyone is going to shift at the last second. Everyone will take the lioness to their left. Whoever our lioness is on the end of the left side of the line has the most difficult. She will have to run behind the line of lionesses to the right side. She will take the enemy lioness on that side. Otherwise, our lioness on the far right will be vulnerable to attack."

The lionesses talked amongst each other and nodded. Xolani, one of the few veterans still here, agreed. "It's going to have to be one of our faster lionesses. Anything else, Kovu?"

"Yes, there is. Once we've engaged them, they're going to go for key points of our bodies. The eyes, the jaw, legs, just some of many spots they'll go for. They especially like to hit their opponent low, so we need to get lower. Whoever gets the lowest will have the better leverage, but another option is to duck out of the way and go for a wild swipe. It doesn't always work, but when it does, it leaves them in great pain. They'll think twice before they try a low shot again."

"What else?" Another lioness asked.

Hmmm…they tend to try to tackle and roll their opponents to quickly pin them. Don't let that happen. You must use your balance and momentum to counter that if you end up in that situation."

Kovu recalled the events of today to remember how they attacked him and Simba. "Another thing that they will try to do is jump on your back. This may seem like a bad position to be in, but believe it or not, they are the most vulnerable in this position. If they jump on you, roll with their momentum. They'll either jump off or go slamming into the ground, so I'm pretty sure they're smart enough to jump off." A few laughs could be heard among the pride. "If you see a fellow lioness in this predicament, then help them out. Usually the best way I know how is to spear the other lioness while their on top of our own. I'll let Tanabi explain that."

Tanabi stretched his legs and paws and cracked his neck. "Now, my methods for attack can be somewhat unorthodox, but they are very effective. Spearing is obviously the best attack there is, but it's a high risk/reward attack. If you connect, then it will dole out great pain. If you miss, you're eating a faceful of dirt. Swiping is your best bet at keeping them at bay and causing damage."

"That's where ferocity and fundamentals come in for you," Kovu added in.

"The Outsiders may be tough, but that difficulty finding food and water might be a big factor in this battle. They will be fierce and using their survival instinct to their advantage, but they can't last forever. The best offensive plan is a defensive one: we wait and let them tire themselves out. We wait for an opening, and when that happens, we take them out."

Numerous lionesses roared their approval. Kiara was one of the few who didn't like where this was going. She wanted to bring a peaceful solution to this whole matter, but that seemed very unlikely. With what the Outsiders did to her father, payback was looking to be the high priority for the pride.

* * *

Zira and the Outsiders discussed the battle plan outside of the termite mound. They had left Nuka's body back in the gorge, and retreated to their territory. The last thing they all wanted was to be ambushed before they were ready. A few lionesses were on patrol to keep watch for attackers, but most of them were gathered around Zira. Vitani was there, but at the same time, she was not there.

Her thoughts were focused on Tanabi, the lion she was supposed to ambush and kill. Now, she couldn't help but think of how merciful he was. In another time, when she was extremely naïve and cocky, she would've taken that for weakness. But there was something in his eyes, something she couldn't quite place. He had showed her compassion, and spared her life. _He has such cute ey-wait, what am I thinking? He's the son of the king who banished me. Why should I like anything about him? And _why _did he let me live?_

Those questions couldn't be asked now, but she had lost some of her fight. Part of that was due to her fatigue and injuries, but she knew that the reports from Kovu and Tanabi's kindness had taken their toll on her meanness. That was always her edge in battle, and now, she wasn't sure she could carry it out. _At least, not on Kovu or Tanabi._

Zira was busy rousing the Outsiders. "Simba has cost us plenty over the past few years. First, he banishes us to the Outlands. Hardly any food or water for ourselves, living in a termite mound during scorching days and ice cold nights. Now, he has corrupted Kovu and killed Nuka. I have had my fill of Simba and plan to rid the Pride Lands of that infestation. He usurped the throne from our beloved Scar. It's time we take the fight to them."

The entire group of Outsiders roared in approval of Zira's motivating words. They were itching for a fight for years, and now they had their opportunity. They would triumph over the Pride Landers, kill the three males, and wait for a rogue to take up the reigns of a new era. Kovu had failed them, and Nuka was dead. They had no males left, so a dark rogue was their best option.

One lioness stood out among the Outsiders. "What about Kovu, Zira?"

Zira stared darkly at her. "What about him? He's no longer one of us."

"I understand that, my lady," the lioness responded. "But he knows our tactics, our signals, and battle plans. He will, most assuredly, inform the Pride Landers of this to help them gain an edge."

The matriarch smiled. "Then maybe we need to change our own battle plans. It may take adjustments for us that we'll have to learn quickly. But if that means victory, will you do it?"

"To the bitter end!" A lioness shouted.

"For Scar!" Another lioness chanted. "For Scar! For Scar!" A few lionesses began drawing it up into a cheer. It spread rapidly to the entire pride, and soon, the entire termite mound was shaking. The loud noise echoed along the lands outside, causing a noticeable disturbance to the animals along the borders of the Pride Lands.

Zira let the cheers continue for a while before quieting them down. They needed to begin working. "Alright, we need to get ready for the upcoming battle. The sun will be down in a few hours, and it's going to be a very busy night."

* * *

The Pride Landers had finished their on-the-go training from Kovu and Tanabi. It was hard to digest everything both lions had taught them, but they all felt confident they could handle the fight in the upcoming battle. They no knew that no matter who won tonight, this battle was going to be an absolute bloodbath. A lot of them wanted to avoid this, but knew that playing the wishing game was pointless. Any chance for a peaceful solution between the two forces was now gone after the ambush to Simba.

The people were growing anxious for the battle, hoping the pride would swiftly defeat the Outsiders for good. They were absolutely furious at the Outsiders and wanted them taken care of immediately. However, they knew that time could not be rushed. The pride was hoping for Simba to recover in time to lead them into battle, and they still needed as much time to practice their new moves and techniques.

As the hours passed, Nala knew that she would have to lead the pride into battle with the current situation. Simba was still in and out. There were times when he would come to and talk, but no one was sure if he was delirious or not. _Lord, I sure could use some help right now._

She was glad that Tanabi and Kovu were here. Having her son and future son-in-law with her made her feel comfortable, but having Simba conscious and able to fight would be even better. They were sure to be outnumbered with Simba in a doubtful condition and Danny gone to save the other part of the Pride Landers. As queen, she would have to lead them.

Nala came to Xolani, who was laying down next to the entrance of the cave. Xolani had trained her so much when she was young, and with Sarabi gone, she was one of the few remaining lionesses Nala looked up to. Xolani quickly rose and bowed when she noticed Nala approach. "My queen."

Nala waved her down. "Please, Xolani. Not so formal, especially now. I need a chance to relax for one final time."

The senior lioness shrugged. "Nah, you got plenty more times to relax in the future, Nala." She looked out at the people, who were gathered around, waiting for news on Simba. "We're gonna be in for it tonight, but we'll still pull off the victory."

Nala arched her eyebrows. She was clearly amused by her former teacher's words. "You think we'll win?"

"Honey, we've been through much worse. We've seen a lot of strange and tough situations, but I strongly believe we will win this fight. Zira is a lot of things. She's smart, she's tough, but she's also very cocky and emotionally driven. Anything that gets under her skin will cause her to lose her poise and leadership abilities."

"I hope you're right," Nala replied. "I just want this to be over with."

"You sound as though you've lost confidence."

The queen laughed. "No, just shaken a little bit. I know what's expected of me, but it just hasn't happened often where I've had to take complete reign of the pride right now."

"Danny believed in you, Nala," Xolani said, placing her paw on Nala's. "He believed in both you and Simba, not just Simba alone. That's why he left to go find his family, or even when he went to rescue Sarabi when there were already problems with Zira. He knew you could handle the issues in the Pride Lands."

"You really think he believes in me?" Nala asked.

"If he didn't, he probably might've considered staying until he was sure things would be smooth."

Nala nodded, looking caught off-guard. "Hmm…you could be right at that. I never looked at Danny's departure that way."

"He's seen how you stand up to Zira, especially during Scar's reign. You attacked her when Scar reigned with all the hyenas running about. That was a much worse time then. Now, it's not so bad…even in spite of Danny and Simba not being here." Xolani looked down the slope and back at Nala. "I think you have visitors."

Nala turned around to see seven male cheetahs walk up to her. She recognized the leader as Hakimu, the older brother of Haraka. They had been in the lands for roughly three years, but hadn't come to Pride Rock that often unless it was to check on their brother. They all bowed instantly. Hakimu spoke. "Your Highness, we have come to you to offer our services in the fight to come."

The queen frowned. She had an idea as to what they were asking, but wanted to be sure. "You may rise. How so?"

The cheetahs rose and Hakimu stepped forward. "We wish to assist you in your fight against the Outsiders."

Nala was stunned. _Did I hear correctly?_ The seven cheetahs were volunteering their service to help fight alongside the Pride Landers. She regained her composure. "And why do you want to aid us against the Outsiders?"

The coalition leader pawed the ground idly. "Our brother has gone with King Danny to fight against a far superior enemy. Even though he is the youngest of us, his bravery and loyalty to the king has inspired us to make a stand as well. We haven't had much chance to do so until now. We may not be very strong, but our speed will help wear them down. We do not want to experience the dark reign our mother did during Scar's time, and would rather die than live to see that happen again."

Nala watched as the entire coalition bowed once again to her, keeping their heads low in respect. Hakimu, with his head low, said, "Queen Nala…we, your humble servants, pledge our support to you."

The blue-eyed lioness couldn't help but smile. These seven cheetahs were willing to risk their lives for the sake of the continued peace under Simba and Danny's rule. She had never seen such a pledged support from the people like these cheetahs. Nala wished she could take them up on their offer. "I'm very proud to have people who are willing to pay the ultimate price for victory, and the rest of the people should be as well. Sadly, I must decline this offer. By royal protocol, we cannot have assistance by other species in a takeover battle, even if they're fellow felines. Danny, if he were here, would be the exception because of his title, but no others."

Hakimu, though disappointed, kept his voice firm. "We understand, but if you need us to, we will gladly give our lives for our kings."

"I appreciate the vote of confidence."

Nala's jaw dropped, as did Hakimu's and Xolani's. _Tell me I'm not hearing things?_ All three of them were stunned to hear a familiar voice come from behind them. They all looked as a red-maned lion stepped out. He had a little bit of a limp, but he seemed to be fine. His once-dislocated shoulder seemed normal, which meant he probably popped it back in himself.

Simba smiled. "You guys weren't planning on having a picnic without me, were you?"

Though she was extremely relieved and elated that her mate was alright, Nala walked toward him. "Simba, you should be inside and getting some rest."

"I'm rested and I'm as healthy as can be. Zira is going to attack soon and I need to be in the fight if we're gonna win. There's no point in me sitting in the cave while the rest of you fight."

Nala shook her head. "No, you can re-injure yourself in the battle, maybe worse."

Simba nuzzled her. "I appreciate your concern, love. But as king, it's my duty to fight off rogues. The Outsiders are the rogues that threaten my kingdom, and I am going to see to it myself that it is protected. Besides, if I'm going to risk my neck, it's _my_ business." There was definitely something different about Simba. He seemed more confident, more determined, and acted as though he already knew the outcome of the battle.

Knowing that there was no winning this debate, Nala smiled. "Well, Simba. You are the king and I've already said my piece. But I'm with you all the way to the end." She furrowed her brow. "I would like to know, though…why do you seem so sure of this?"

The king looked up at the sky and looked back at her. His smile seemed to glow. "Let's just say I have some incentive from the other side." He looked at Hakimu and smiled. "I appreciate your faithfulness and will to fight, but this is a matter among the pride. Stay here and ensure the people remain calm and safe. Afterwards, come back here. We're going to need someone to protect our cubs."

"At once, my king." After bowing, Hakimu and the coalition left to head to the people. They would make sure the king's orders were carried out.

No sooner than they left, Zazu came flying in at full speed. He slowed down and stopped in front of Simba. The panic on his face was as evident as the setting sun. However, seeing the king walking and unconcerned about his condition helped relieve him somewhat. "Sire, it's good to see that your health has returned to you." His smile disappeared immediately, as the reason why he flew as fast as he could to Pride Rock returned to the top of his mind. "Simba, the Outsiders are on the attack and heading this way. It's war, your Majesty."

Simba nodded and his expression became a serious, commanding face. "Zazu, remain here. A coalition of cheetahs will be here in a few minutes to help protect the cubs. Give them some direction. Nala and I are going to assemble the pride."

He looked out at the distant sky. "There's a storm approaching, and we're going to need to be ready. Let's move…now!"

* * *

The Outsiders left the termite mound and began moving towards the Pride Lands. At the front were Zira and Vitani, spearheading a V-formation of lionesses. They had spent a long time practicing new techniques and strategies because of Kovu's betrayal. Their first stop, was a nearby mud pit. To have a better defense, they would need to take away the Pride Landers' grappling advantage of their claws by making their entire bodies slick with mud. It would also make them able to recognize each other.

All of them entered two-by-two, going in up to their heads before walking out. They had the advantage in numbers, but the lack of male strength was a challenge they would have to overcome. But if each male became isolated, then it would be easy pickings.

Now, clad in mud and water, the clique of lionesses moved towards their target. Dark clouds covered them and rumbling of thunder was soon accompanied by heavy rain. This would be an advantage they would so desperately need in order to win the fight against Simba and his pride.

* * *

No matter the weather condition, fights in defense of the Pride Lands celebrate a love affair between a pride and its people. With one battle separating them from life and death, the people of the Pride Lands hoped the sun would not set on a spectacular pride of lions, and a legendary reign.

Simba had never lost in the Pride Lands, and he had already beaten Zira three years ago, on a day where Zira had the elements of surprise and diversion on her side. Now, she didn't have the element of surprise with her, but what Simba wasn't sure whether she would have a diversion set or not. His gut instinct said she didn't have one. The Pride Landers would be grouped together, so dividing them by diversion wouldn't work. If Zira sent the other half to attack the people, that would be foolishness. Hakimu and the rest would make short work of the Outsiders and make things twice as difficult. No, she would commit her entire force to Simba's pride.

Simba looked to his left. Tanabi had taken on section of the lionesses and formed a small squad. He had three lionesses, which was all he wanted. He preferred to have a small group to be more nimble and move more faster. Simba let his son have his way and form a small squad. The part of him that was the overprotective father was beginning to dim with the return of his son from the dead.

Off to his right, Kovu and Kiara commanded an average group of four lionesses, five including Kiara. They were more of the all-around group, ready to do any task necessary in this battle. Simba didn't want Kiara to get involved in the fight, but felt more at ease with Kovu at her side. _He'll never let anything happen to her as long as he's breathing._

As for him, he and Nala took the rest of the lionesses, including Dembe and Xolani. As senior lionesses, they were vital to the younger lionesses' fighting spirit. They were looked up to by many, especially the king and queen. They had been around more than anyone else, and the only other senior lionesses were the ones that were abducted: Sarabi, Ebere, and Berhane. Their presence as mentors and fighters would be invaluable in the coming fight.

Another group that joined was the dynamic duo of Timon and Pumbaa. Though the royal law had made it clear that a battle of a pride takeover was only between lions, the meerkat and warthog had no royal code. So they tagged along regardless of the law because as far as they were concerned, the law didn't apply to them. They were going to help their friend, despite Simba's protests.

The clouds that were once distant were now rolling over them, and with them came lightning, thunder, and rain. That was going to make things a bit tricky, but in a fight for their lives and the Pride Lands, courage counts. There could be no place for nerve and excuses, no margin for error.

Simba looked into the distance. Even in the darkness and sudden flashes of lightning, he could make out the shuffling outlines of the Outsiders. Simba lowered his ears and dropped his head, readying himself for any surprising attacks. _This is it. No turning back now._

The Outsiders stopped at an arching rock. Zira walked to the top of the rock, looking out as if she was the queen of the Pride Lands once again. Two lionesses, including Vitani, flanked her as the rest of the Outsiders formed a loose formation of a line. They had a slightly inverted V-formation.

The Pride Landers moved into position, taking on a two-line formation. They formed with precision and even spacing, showing mental discipline and bearing. Of course, the Outsiders could've cared less about their formation. The only thing they cared about was how the Pride Landers' fighting skill was.

Zira saw Simba walk in front of his pride like an officer inspecting his troops. She smirked. "So Simba, how are you feeling right now?" The lionesses below her snickered evilly.

Simba narrowed his eyes. "Well enough to kick your sorry hides from here to the other side of Africa." He shook the water from his mane. Even though this was a battle, he had an ulterior motive to all this. What he experienced during his time being unconscious had made him decide to change tactics. He wasn't sure if he was going to beat the Outsiders, but he wanted to at least stall out for a while. That was a reason he wasn't going to share with anyone yet. He smirked. "You're the one who really lost. You failed to kill me and now Kovu has realized what the rest of us know about you."

"I'll remedy both mistakes myself!" Zira snapped. "It's over, Simba. I have dreamed of nothing else for years." She growled, bearing her teeth.

Simba could hear Timon speaking to Pumbaa. "Boy, does she need a hobby."

The king fought to keep the smile off his face and looked back up at Zira. "I'm going to give you one, final chance. If you deny it from this point, you will never have the chance to get it again. Go home, Zira."

"I…am…home." She responded, giving him her most wicked smile. She raised her voice so all her pride could hear. "Attack!"

Simba shook his head. _That's it. No more chances for redemption._ He roared and the pride began slowly moving forward. Kovu and Tanabi replied by ordering their groups to begin moving. All of them began moving as one, ready to clash with the other. At first, the two prides seemed to inch closer and closer. Then the Outsiders initiated by charging towards their enemy, with Simba and his pride retaliating by an equal charge.

Then Kovu shouted his command audible. "Shift! Shift!"

Tavira, who was the lioness on the far left, heard him clearly. She slowed down a bit and began running behind the line of Pride Landers, running at an angle so that she was able to keep close to them while moving towards the Outsiders. They came closer and closer to each other, and she knew that she needed to time this perfectly. Half her attention was on her running path; she had to make sure she wasn't too far or too close from the line. The other half was on the Outsiders. Tavira needed to time this in a small window in order for it to work. The two sides were only ten feet away.

Then Kovu called the second part of his audible. "Left! Left!"

Just then, all lionesses on the Pride Lander side jumped and attacked the Outsider to their left. The sudden shift caught the Outsiders off guard, and they hesitated. The one free lioness on the Outsiders was about to attack when she realized that no one jumped her, but that quickly changed when Tavira speared her in the side.

Even though the initial attack sputtered the offense of the Outsiders, they quickly recovered. In the last huge fight between the two, the Outsiders had displayed more power attacks in the past. Zira had boldly cast aside her regular battle plan in pursuit of victory. It wasn't their power, but rather their finesse that blindsided the Pride Landers early.

The Outsiders kept backing up and moving from side to side while the Pride Landers kept moving forward. It seemed that the Outsiders were slowly retreating, but the tips of their lines began moving backwards and were re-focusing on the center of the lines. Simba didn't realize it until he saw some of Zira's lionesses were not attacking, only moving. He frowned, not knowing what they were doing. If he was a dumb king, he would've thought the Outsiders would've given up, but he knew Zira better than that.

"Spear them now!" Zira shouted.

Then it happened. The center of the Outsiders began charging, backed by the tips of their lines that had formed up behind them. The result was a spearheaded drive that managed to divide the Pride Lander's forces in two. Now, they had the advantage.

Tanabi and his three lionesses managed to keep close and formed a defensive diamond, with each individual lion having their backs to each other. The form worked as far as keeping the Outsiders at bay, but it wouldn't do any good offensively. Thankfully, they were making it difficult for their enemy to find a hole to attack, and they wouldn't attack the four bluntly without exposing themselves.

Kovu and Kiara were having a harder time, though. While Kovu could handle his own, Kiara and the other four lionesses were relatively inexperienced in battle, and it showed early on. One lioness stepped too far forward and was rewarded with three Outsiders attacking her, forcing the others to come to her aid. They were getting clawed and torn up, but they still were alive, and as long as they were alive, they were still in the fight.

It only did so much good, as the majority of Outsiders worked at isolating Simba's group away from Simba. So far, it was working, and Simba was becoming more and more isolated. He fought with great intensity, and the Outsiders had to wait until they found an opening. Simba didn't give them long enough of a hole to take it, and those that did ended up receiving a clubbing from one of his powerful paws. Nala and the other lionesses held their own, but even with the veteran lionesses in the group, it was becoming increasingly difficult to reach their king.

A lioness from the Outsiders broke from the fight to head towards the Pride Lands, knifing her way through to the gorge. Beyond that was the Pride Lands, and with the rainstorm, most animals would be hiding in the bush or dens and caves. That included the cubs, who were being guarded by Hakimu's coalition. Even though there were seven cheetahs, no lioness wanted to take the chance of losing their cubs.

The breakdown in protection led to all of the Pride Landers running back to chase the enemy lioness down and regroup. Nala ran faster than the others. She, having a two month old son in the cave of Pride Rock, didn't want anything happening to him. It was evident who had cubs because they ran with more energy and with a sense of urgency. Nala managed to tackle the lioness and make short work of her by strongly and swiftly strangulating her.

But the damage was done. It was more than enough to put the Pride Landers on their heels and on full defense. This was exactly the way the Outsiders wanted to start out and it was exactly the way the Pride Landers did not want to. They would eventually run out of room, as the gorge was in the direction the fight was heading towards. The Outsiders began pushing and pushing, but more importantly, Simba was becoming more and more isolated from the others.

For a moment, the Outsiders appeared to be in control of the fight.

That moment did not last long.

As Simba became more and more isolated, Zira had been noticing that he was beginning to tire. With the rest of his pride being held at bay, this was her chance to tackle him when he was off-balance and kill him. She slowly began moving towards him, stalking ever so carefully at her prey. Then when she saw a hole, she made her break.

Another lioness saw this happening as well. She had been able to escape the wall of Outsiders and noticed the isolated Simba and the unspotted Zira heading his way. It was Xolani. "Oh, no. I've got to stop her before she gets Simba." She charged at a spot where she predicted where Zira would be. Zira had reached her point and dove for Simba while he was busy with the other lionesses.

The problem with airborne dives was that your balance was lost; momentum could be shifted by any outside object that came in contact with you. Another thing that needed to be accounted for was for anyone gunning yourself. Zira never accounted for a lioness lurking in the area, and paid the price. Xolani speared Zira and knocked her off course with Simba. Xolani followed through by driving Zira's face into the ground, and her head absorbed most of the shock from the hard landing. The blow left the Outsider leader disoriented, and every Outsider seemed to notice. That gave Nala and the other Pride Landers time to regroup and form a solid defense, as well as aid Simba to keep him from getting isolated.

Xolani's hit changed the course of the fight and stemmed the momentum. The Pride Landers did not allow anymore ground for nearly another full hour.

* * *

**Hope this was entertaining to read. I am trying to have one or two chapters written by the time I update Heart of a Champion. I have to do it to keep flexibility and for emergencies, so bear with me. Stay tuned, people.**


	27. Immaculate Redemption

**Hey, guys. Sorry about the delay. This chapter had to be written carefully as possible. When you read through this chapter, you may see why. I would ask that you read my author's note at the bottom so that you will not only make sure I give you a few things straight, but that you will also find out a little bit more about me. Anyways, enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

The whole cell bay was quiet. That is, all except for the crying lionesses. They had lost mates, and they had lost sons. It was hard to bear the pain and grief, but none more so than Sarabi. Dasyu had killed Danny, their king and practical family member. After killing him, Dasyu had told them what was going to happen next.

"Now that I have got what I wanted, I'm going to let you go. You are free to leave and find your pride…if you can. My soldiers will not stop you, but should you attack them, I will not stop them from retaliating in self-defense. Once I'm gone, the cell barrier will be brought down and the doors opened. It's an easy walk from there. Have a nice day!"

A few minutes later, the barrier went down and Sarabi immediately ran to her dead son's body. She cried and tried to nudge him in a vain attempt to wake up. But she knew he was dead. This was already too much for her to bear. She had lost her mate nearly seven years ago, and then her grandson Tanabi. Now, she had lost her second son. It was the final peg needed to break her. Sarabi wanted to know why the Creator would cause her this pain, but it seemed like she was left to wonder.

Ebere, in spite of her pain, took charge and got the lionesses ready to move. They were all grieving, but they needed to get as far away from this place as possible. As the others readied themselves to leave, Ebere walked over to Sarabi. "Sarabi, we need to go."

"I…can't." Sarabi's voice was so weak it was barely audible. "I can't leave my son."

"He's gone, Sarabi. Danny and the others gave their lives for us. Let's not waste that sacrifice."

Even though she didn't want to leave, Sarabi knew Ebere was right. If she stayed, Danny's sacrifice would be in vain. She needed to leave and the lionesses would need to find a way back home. They had no idea where they were, and probably would never find the Pride Lands again. Still, they had to try.

Sarabi got up. Before she left, she nuzzled Danny's face one, last time. "Goodbye, my son. I will miss you." She didn't want to outlive either of her sons or her grandchildren, but Danny and Tanabi fell under that category. She left the bay with the lionesses, ignoring the soldiers who watched them leave the hangar and heading out in the direction they were sure was where Danny had come. They were now hoping for a miracle at this point.

* * *

Dasyu watched the lionesses he had held prisoner walk hopelessly out of the hangar. He really didn't care if they got away. Normally, he would've killed all of them. But since he had got what he wanted in Danny's death, he decided he would keep his word with his enemy, for once. In the future, they would all join Danny and the rest of the dead. Dasyu couldn't have been more relieved and satisfied, but it came at an even more costly price. Not only did Danny cause considerable damage to his forces, he had lost his best General and his second-best hadn't been heard from in hours and was presumed dead.

Now, it was time for business. He already put Commander Lash in charge of repairs and operations to the stronghold. Dasyu, along with Xev, Malachi, and Talon, would head on to Facility Three. They needed to oversee the operations going on in there. The current soldiers Dasyu had there were about to receive an alternate form replicated from some of the greatest predators they had, giving them unique advantages that they had never had before. If the experiment worked, his soldiers, coupled with the constructions of his drones, would completely annihilate any life and use the natural resources on this planet to use as a cache for future projects.

Dasyu boarded his personal transport and closed the ramp. His three Generals were already strapped in and ready to go. Malachi and Talon were busy talking to each other on what to do when they arrived at the facility. Xev, on the other hand, was silent. Dasyu knew she and Striker shared a close bond with each other, and his death made her seem empty. Dasyu gave her the space she needed. Eventually, she would recover and thrive. For now, it was a time for her to lament.

He walked into the cockpit. Inside were two others. One was the pilot, awaiting the orders to take off and head for Facility Three. The other was one of the signal officers, Gyro. Gyro had seemed to be lost in thought. Dasyu didn't know what it was, but didn't ask. It was most likely irrelevant to him.

Dasyu sat down behind Gyro. "Pilot, are we ready to leave?"

"Yes, sir. We're fueled and ready to go at once. We have clearance and have received our security code for Facility Three."

"Take off and hurry without any delay," Dasyu said.

Gyro shook his head as he heard this. He was hoping that the human would actually kill Dasyu and end everything that was going on. Ever since he had arrived here, he felt conflicted about this whole operation. Now, after the human's mercy shown towards him, he was definitely against Dasyu's whole plan. Unfortunately, there wasn't anything he could do. He was only one person, and it wasn't like he had a weapon anymore. He worked on his controls as the ship lifted off and headed out of the hangar. _It's going to take an act of God now._

* * *

At first, there was complete darkness. He felt nothing, saw nothing, and heard nothing. It was an utter and void type of emptiness that gave the darkness an eerie feeling. Looking around, it was evident to him that there was no floor and no walls; no doors to open and no windows to see through. The worst part of it was the isolation. He had no one around him and it seemed as though there was no end nor any hope of finding one.

Danny shook his head. "Where am I?" Even though there was nothing but blackness, there was very good acoustics, as his voice seemed to echo on for what seemed like miles. It was almost as though he were in a canyon. "Am I dead?"

Suddenly, he saw objects beginning to form. Instead of total blackness, he was now in some sort of room. It looked like a place for a secret, board-of-directors meeting room. There was a table with a half-dozen chairs around it. There were no windows, but there was one door leading out. While it wasn't totally black, the whole place seemed dimly lit, leaving an unnerving feeling that sent a chill down his back.

"What is this place?"

Danny noticed the walls each had something scribbled on each pane, and each was different. He started with the first wall. It was a little hard to read, but he recognized each one as he walked along the border of the room. Danny remembered his father talking to him about this shortly before he left for the safari with his mother and sisters. _The Romans Road! All of these verses come from the Bible. Romans 3:23, 6:23, 5:8, 10:9, 5:1, 8:1, 8:38-39...Dad talked to me about this before leaving._

The man stopped and wondered why this was all here. "That day Dad told me about this…that was when I…"

He didn't need to wonder for long, as something bright made him turn to the door. White light was outlining the entire door, including the crack at the floor. Beams of light flared at random parts of the door. The light, even though it was only peeking through the cracks, was so intensely bright that Danny had to shield his face and squint his eyes. It was very bright, but he didn't feel matching heat to go with the rays. Instead, it was warm, a very welcoming warmth, but it wasn't as hot as it should've been.

Danny walked to the door and got down on one knee. He set his right eye to look through the keyhole. A bright light was all he could see on the other side. It was an inviting sort of light, and he felt the desire to embrace it in his heart. _I don't know why am I feeling this or what's causing it, but I like it._ He decided to open the door and stood up to reach for the knob.

When he opened the door, he was greeted by the light in full. The feeling was amazing, and he thought he was in paradise. It was only a few seconds, but it seemed like hours to Danny. When he finally opened his eyes, he was no longer in the boardroom. Instead, he was traveling through a translucent tunnel of light. It was an awesome sight, and Danny felt weightless; it was almost like flying. He spread his arms and legs out and let a whoop of joy escape from him. He twisted and spun like a plane doing a barrel roll, enjoying this remarkable moment.

The light suddenly grew too bright and the tunnel faded into nothing but white. Danny landed in an endless dune of sand. Unlike the golden sands of Africa, this sand was practically white. Whether it was the way it was or due to the brightness all around him, he didn't know. "This entire place is surreal, absolutely amazing…even if it's nothing but sand."

That good feeling of happiness and amazement died when he turned around. Laying down in the sand was the body of a lioness. Even though her back was to him, Danny knew whose it was. That was when he realized that he was dead and that Dasyu was still alive and now with no one to stand in his way. He remembered that he failed in his mission to defeat Dasyu and rescue the lionesses from him. That never would've happened if he had just made sure that Dasyu was dead when they first encountered each other. True, he didn't have the time to make sure, but no one could tell him differently.

He felt tears well up as he gazed at Zainabu's body. The joy of his life was now dead with him, and the feeling of failure hit him once more. Danny was tired of it, letting others down when they depended on him most. He just wanted it to end. He sat down and picked up Zainabu's head, placing her in his lap. "Zainabu, I'm so sorry I failed you." He started sniffing over and over, but found himself unable to cry. He wasn't sure if it was because he had been crying so much that he couldn't anymore, or if it was something else.

Danny wished things were different. He wished that his life wasn't sent on this roller coaster ride of a journey. All he wanted was to live a simple, normal life, have a family and grow old. He did want to do some special things, but not all the time. However, that wasn't going to happen now. _I'm dead now and it doesn't matter anymore._

Footsteps approached him and he opened his eyes to see a pair of feet in sandals. Fear crept through him, as he looked up to see who he was looking at. The figure was dressed in a white robe dipped in blood. The radiance and brightness covered most of His face, making the description too amazing to comprehend. He looked down at Danny with compassion and a loving expression.

Some people wouldn't have a clue who this being was. Danny knew from his parents talking to him before they left for their safari who this person was. _Jesus Christ!_

Jesus brought his hand down to Danny, offering it for him to take. Danny felt the fear hit him hard and the disappointment of everything, even the wrong he had done in his life. He felt like trash, not too mention bitter at how the events turned. He turned his head away, holding Zainabu even closer and just staring at the ground.

The expression on the Lord's face went from loving to sad and concerned. He leaned down, extending his hand even farther and trying to get Danny to reconsider. When it was clear Danny would not move, Jesus shook his head sadly and turned away.

Danny felt too much like a failure and worth less than dirt that he didn't feel worthy to be accepted by Christ. But then, he looked up at the beyond and widened his eyes. Laying down in dead heaps were the bodies of the felines he led into battle and went down with him: Malka, Tojo, Mheetu, Chumvi, Haraka, and Tupac. They were all here with him, and he knew this was the end.

But it didn't seem to him as though it was all sudden and out of control. Even though things didn't always work out, the Lord was in control of everything. His mother mentioned this to him many times, and it was the one thing he definitely could agree with about the Lord. When Mufasa had died and Scar reigned for three, terrible years, the Lord was still in control. Lives were lost, food and water were scarce, but He was still in control. Proof was given when water was given in their cave when they couldn't stay in the den. Even when Danny ran away, the Lord was still in control. He found Simba, won Jabari and Malka over to help in the fight against the hyenas. And even though Dasyu took the lionesses, the Lord was still in control. But what was to happen after, Danny wasn't sure.

It finally made sense why he was having all of those dreams. It was a dream of what was to come. If nothing was done, Dasyu would turn this world into one, giant machine world. He would have total control and would rule, and any survivors would fight in a futile rebellion. The end of his dreams all ended with Dasyu's final statement to Danny, and it happened in real life. How the Lord was in control over this, Danny had no clue.

The young man finally remembered why the Romans Road was so familiar, and what had happened that day before his family left. He had accepted Christ as his Savior and repented of his sins, but that was just before his parents disappeared. Since then, he hadn't known much about the Lord or the Bible since then, and going to Africa didn't help much in his learning. A part of him wished he did.

Many would say that he had the right to be bitter with the Lord. He had his family taken away from him years ago, he lost friends, and he lost Zainabu. Yet, for some reason, he soon found himself unable to. _The Lord made me, and just as He has the power to give life, He has the power to take it away. I may not like it, but I can't get angry with God and tell Him what to do. _

Danny let go of Zainabu and turned around. He tried to stand and walk after Jesus. He soon found out that he could barely stand. His knees were wobbling and shaking like he had just went for a polar bear plunge in ice water. _Why can't I walk?_ His knees buckled and he fell down on all fours. For a few moments, he wasn't sure what the deal was.

Then it hit him. It was the same realization he had when he accepted Christ. _I couldn't do things by myself. I can't save myself. I need Christ._ With this in mind, Danny knew there was only one thing he could do, and that was call out. "Jesus, wait! I need you. I need your help!"

Suddenly, Jesus reappeared out of thin air. A smile returned to His face as He walked back and offered His hand to Danny again. Danny reached out with his own hand and grabbed Jesus'. Danny attempted to stand a second time. This time, he was able to stand up and look at Jesus in the face. The love and joy seemed to radiate off of Him, and it all seemed to overpower Danny completely. He grabbed hold of Jesus and embraced Him. He felt the Son reciprocate, and held him closely.

Danny felt such joy and happiness that words couldn't even comprehend it. It felt so powerful that it made him want to run and dance and just shout it in joy. Danny always wondered why Christ would die for him and everyone else. He never deserved that at all. Danny looked up at Jesus. "Thank you for paying my price for my sins on the cross, Jesus. But I don't deserve it." He looked down. "I deserve Hell. Why would you do that for me?"

Jesus smiled. "I have loved you and every man and woman with an everlasting love. I did not want you to have absolutely no chance of spending eternity with me, and gave my life for the sins of the world. But you are among a very few; you accepted Me as the only Savior of the world. I was once naked and you clothed Me. I was once homeless and you gave Me a home." He let go of Danny and placed an arm around his shoulder. "Come, there are some issues we need to discuss."

Danny and Jesus walked on along the sand. Danny didn't know where they were going, so he just walked along with Christ to find out what the discussion was going to be.

* * *

He wasn't sure when it happened, but he definitely wasn't paying attention to his surroundings. As he and Jesus walked, Danny realized that they were no longer in the desert, but rather an oasis. The grass was the most green grass he had ever seen before in his life and the trees and flowers were in full bloom. A stream was veined throughout the place to give a complete effect. Danny was amazed at the entire piece of land. _And I thought the Pride Lands were beautiful…_

Danny looked at Jesus. "Lord, is this place heaven?"

Surprisingly, Jesus shook his head. "No, we are not in heaven. We are in a place for others."

He frowned. "What do you mean by 'others?'"

Christ smiled. "Go in and see for yourself."

Danny walked in and looked around the place. He walked up to a tree and brushed it. The signals being sent to his brain told him he was touching it. The whole place had a pleasing aroma to it that only added to the joy and happiness he felt. The oasis was absolutely beautiful, a ten out of ten in Danny's book. If he wanted a place to live in for the rest of his life, this probably would be something like it. About the only thing that was missing was the chirping of birds, but it was a small price to pay in this paradise of real estate.

Noise up ahead got his attention, and he walked a little more warily as he approached to a clearing in front of him. As he came closer, the noise turned out to be voices, and they were very familiar. Danny's eyes were nearly bulging out at recognition. "Is that what I think it is?" He ventured out a little further and saw the last thing he expected to see.

Sitting in a clearing, all of them grouped together, were a huge horde of lions. They all seemed to be chatting amongst themselves, laughing and having a good time, in general. No one had seemed to notice Danny quite yet, but that was the way he wanted it for the moment. He was still trying to process the whole information of what was going on, and was also trying to find where the familiar voices were at.

It didn't take long before Danny spotted the huge red mane of the lion who accepted him into the pride seven years ago. _Mufasa._ The former king of the Pride Lands was sitting near the middle of the rest of the lionesses who had once lived in the Pride Lands during Danny's time. All around, was Sarafina, the lioness whom Danny considered an aunt. Kamaria, another close friend of his. Yihana, the joker of the bunch and the one who first expressed her crush on Danny years back. Geena, Maisha, Sarama, Chinaka, Takiyah, and Rehema were also present. Danny also saw a few lions and lionesses near Mufasa that he did not recognize.

Sarafina was talking when she glanced Danny's way. Her eyes widened as she did a double take to make sure she wasn't seeing things. When she was sure, she jumped up. "Danny's here!"

As the others followed her gaze, Sarafina ran towards Danny. Danny normally would be hesitant to a lioness tackle-hugging him, but given his situation, he was willing to make an exception. He held his arms out wide open for Sarafina as the latter tackled him to the ground. He wrapped his arms around her neck as the two friends embraced in a loving hug. Danny felt the tears of joy stream down his cheeks as the others ran up to him as well.

Sarafina nuzzled him and pulled back. "It's so good to see you again, Danny. How's my daughter doing?"

Danny grinned. Her smile was infectious. "It's great to see you, Sarafina. All of you. For your daughter, Nala's doing a bang-up job as a queen."

"That is so great. I knew she would turn out fine, but that's because you were there to guide her. With you and Sarabi there, I knew things would turn out fine."

"She did, and she's doing fine right now." He brought Sarafina close to him again. "But I'm just so glad to see you again, 'Fina."

Yihana came up and nuzzled him before smirking at the man. "Hey, Mr. Guest of Honor. It took you long enough to get here. We've been waiting all this time for you, you kill-joy. What took you so long?"

He shook his head. "Nice to see you haven't changed, Goldie. But it is great to see you."

All of the others came up and greeted him the same way: a nuzzle and lick on the cheek, followed by a plethora of questions. Danny just laughed. To him, he was just glad to see all of them again for the first time in years. He couldn't hold back the tears, but he tried to answer all of their questions as best as he could. He had finally reunited with all the pride members he had lost, and wished it could've been under better circumstances.

The questions came to a halt as the lionesses parted for Mufasa to come forward. Danny looked the lion he considered a second father, and smiled. They didn't talk in words, only in a huge hug for the other. For them, it was time taken away from them. Now, they were making up for all of that. Danny buried his face into Mufasa's red mane, wishing things were different, but knowing it was all for a purpose.

Danny finally pulled back a little to look Mufasa in the eyes. "It's been so long since I've last seen you, Mufasa."

"You're right, Danny. It has been. I've missed you as well," his voice lowered a bit. "Even though my death was sudden, at least it was good to see that things were still under control, and that I had two amazing sons who I left to shepherd the Pride Lands. I'm very proud of both of you." He placed a paw on Danny's shoulder. "You've shown great bravery and leadership in the last few years while you've been here, and I can't say I'm neither disappointed nor surprised at how you've handled yourself."

"Thanks, Mufasa. But that was because of my upbringing and from some pointers from you," he looked back. "But the main reason was because the Lord was watching over me the whole time."

"Amen," Mufasa replied. "Of course, trying to take on Dasyu virtually by yourself was not the wisest move."

Danny shrugged. "Maybe so, but I wasn't about to let Dasyu just simply take away some of my…our pride away from us." He rested himself on just one knee. "It doesn't matter anymore now. I'm dead, so it's up to God to make something happen here."

"That it is, Danny. That it is." Mufasa's smile became more mischievous. "Of course, you care to tell me about your fiasco with Kiara's hunting lessons? As I recall, you nearly became a part of the ground when that herd charged you."

The others laughed as Danny defended himself. He pointed a finger at Mufasa. "Hey, hey. That wasn't my fault. Kiara was fooling around with a butterfly and spooked the herd we were stalking." He laughed as he pointed back at himself. "You can't pin that on me."

"I'm just kidding with you," Mufasa turned around to see a few lions and lionesses behind him. He turned back to Danny. "But right now, there's some lions I'd like you to meet." He introduced the brown lioness right next to him. "This is my mother, Uru."

Uru smiled. "I've heard so much about you, Danny. Mufasa speaks very highly of what he's seen in you and is proud to see how you've led the pride."

Danny smiled and rubbed her head. "Well, that's because he showed me the ropes on being a king. That can only come from good parenting, so the credit just rolls back to you."

"You're too kind, honey," she replied.

Mufasa then waved to the golden lion with a pitch black mane. "This here is my father, Ahadi." He gave Danny a wink as Ahadi walked towards him.

Danny knew that wink. That was Mufasa's "good luck" wink that he remembered from years ago. Danny also remembered the conversation they had about Ahadi's parenting of Mufasa and Scar, and realized what was coming next. He sighed. _This is going to be interesting._

Ahadi kept an even expression, but Danny thought he caught him fighting back a smile from showing on his face. "I hear you said that I could've done a better job at being a father with my youngest son. That true?" His tone was a little high-pitched, but not in a squeaky way.

Despite the desire to break and cringe, Danny quashed it. "That is true, Ahadi. I meant no disrespect, but it wasn't fair to show favoritism to Mufasa. It destroys a family from the inside out, and it showed after I first came to the Pride Lands."

He was expecting a growl or snarl from Ahadi. Instead, Danny got a smile and a hug from Mufasa's father. Danny was caught off-guard by the gesture, but he did return it. He felt the warm breath of the lion in his ear. "I want to thank you for the advice. Looking back on it, I wish I could change things and make them different."

Danny laughed at the irony of that statement. It was the same thing he always said with many of the results of the last seven years. "Believe me, I think we all wish we could take back some things we've said and done. But they happened for a reason; we just have to learn from our mistakes."

"I hear that," came a female voice from behind Danny.

Turning around from Ahadi, Danny came face-to-face with Rehema. The lioness who had sided with Zira after fighting beside Danny during Scar's reign, now had a calm, polite smile on her face. Danny seemed on the verge of crying again, as he remembered that it was him who killed her, even though he never wanted to do that. He placed his hands on her face, feeling completely apologetic. "Rehema, I am so sorry for what I had to do to you. If there was any other way-"

Rehema leaned forward and licked his cheek. "It's okay, Danny. I paid the price for my mistakes. I should never have sided with Zira in the first place. I was forgiven and ended up here, so I have no hard feelings against you." Her beaming smile made Danny's heart melt with happiness and relief. "You know I still love you, Danny."

Danny embraced her tightly, letting the tears flow once more. "I love you too, Rehema." He looked at the rest of them. "I love all of you. You were the only family I had since my blood family disappeared."

Sarafina came forward. "And we consider you a special part of our family, Danny. You showed us new things, new ways to hunt, your type of entertainment. You showed us a new outlook and perspective on life. We can only thank you so much."

"I feel the same way to all of you," Danny replied. He looked at Mufasa with his trademark smirk. "Now, you said there were three musketeers to introduce. Who's missing?"

Mufasa remembered the same thing. "Oh, yes. I nearly forgot about that." He walked to the last of the three. This one, was a very imposing lion. He was virtually the spitting image of Mufasa. He was much larger than the formerly mentioned lion, but just as fit as Mufasa was. His muscles seemed to ripple and show definition on any movement whatsoever. The obvious difference was the brown mane the lion sported instead of Mufasa's red one. Danny felt his knees getting weak. This lion really put some fear in him, in spite of his gentle expression. Mufasa stood next to him and smiled. "This is the Brightest Star of the Pride Lands, the great king and my grandfather, Mohatu."

Danny was speechless. This was _the _Mohatu. He had been told a few stories about him, but that was about it. He did know that this was a revered lion. "It's nice to meet you, Mohatu."

"The same to you," the legendary lion replied. Unlike his son's high pitched voice, Mohatu had the same booming voice Mufasa had.

"Mohatu was the wisest lion who ruled the pride and the Pride Lands," Mufasa said. "He helped ration out water to the people during a great drought and reasoned with some rogue lions who claimed it as their own. He even found the Great River for the people to drink from. That was just a few of the many things he has done."

Mohatu smiled as he patted Danny's shoulder with his paw. "I've heard so much about you, son. You've definitely shaped the Pride Lands into something even I could not fathom. I must say, I was surprised to hear of your arrival in the Pride Lands, Danny."

The response to that statement was a sheepish grin. "That makes two of us, but I wanted to find my family. I wasn't expecting to end up in something like this. To end up in a part of Africa where animals can talk and ending up king was something I could only imagine and never believe could be reality."

Mohatu frowned. "You find it odd that we can talk?"

Danny laughed lightly. "If it didn't happen to me, I never would believe it could happen." He looked around. "That reminds me of something. I know I was in Africa, but was I in the present day Africa and just haven't seen any other humans, or was I in a different dimension or time period of Earth?"

Mufasa answered the question. "Do you remember the portal you entered through years ago?"

"How can I not?" Danny really stated more than asked. "But how did you know about it?"

"It was revealed to me when I came here," Mufasa responded. "That portal was a tunnel that led to Earth, but another dimension of it. It wasn't a time zone in the planet's history, so you wouldn't have seen any humans except your family. They are some of the few who have entered into it, along with you."

Danny frowned. "Sounds like Narnia or something like it?"

Now it was Mufasa's turn to frown. "What's Narnia?"

"Never mind," Danny replied. He really didn't want to take the time to get into that. "So I'm in another dimension of Earth, where I can talk to animals, and I inadvertently went through it to find my family. I guess that's why I ended up in that dimension; my family disappeared through the portal on their safari and ended up in the same place, so it activated when I went looking for them. That sounds too much to be an act of God to be simply coincidence."

"I guess there was a purpose for you being here. To find your family, but in order to find them, you had to enter this dimension to do so," Ahadi deducted.

Danny shrugged. "Well, at least it clears up a few things. I'm sure of where I was over the past seven years. Now, I'm here and that's it."

"Of course, there still is one more being you have to see," Mufasa said.

The man shrugged. "And who might that be?"

A sharp, accented voice spoke from behind him. "I believe Mufasa is referring to me, Danny."

Danny flinched. _That voice…_It was eerily familiar. He hadn't heard it in a long time, but he could never forget it. He turned around to make sure he wasn't hearing things. This was the last person he would expect to be here at all. Danny figured he would be in a more horrible place, and his presence only made him even more confused. It was the younger brother of Mufasa and the one who made life miserable for Danny for three years, the late lion Scar. The man narrowed his eyes. "You'll understand my shock at your being here, Scar."

The black-maned lion held up a paw. "I would prefer being called by my original name, Taka. And yes, I understand completely. I'm pretty sure that others will feel the same way about me when they get here."

That didn't soften Danny's expression. "Then, Taka, would you care to tell me how you got here?"

Taka nodded. "I had done terrible things in my life. I isolated myself from the rest of the pride in my adolescent years. I became a darker lion, one that I wish I never had become. You saw the later years of my life, and the favoritism my father showed to Mufasa only made my bitterness even more compounded." He saw Ahadi dip his head a little.

"Yet, despite all of this, I continued down my dark path that you saw for years. When you defeated me to retake the throne, it was then that I realized that what I had done was wrong. I also remembered something my mother had told me. No matter what you do, no matter what wrong you've done, you can still be forgiven." Taka looked up, right into Danny's eyes. "Just before my death, I took that to heart and asked the Creator for forgiveness. I knew nothing would change the fact that I was about to die, but I repented and asked to have my life changed. That's how I ended up here."

Danny crossed his arms. "That's quite a story."

Taka nodded, and dipped his head at Danny in respect. "What grief and pain I caused you was wrong. I will understand if you say no to what I ask for, but would ever be able to forgive me?"

The lions all looked to Danny, who was considering this. Would he forgive the lion who caused the lives of five lionesses and a king, his own brother, to be lost? His voice was low and gruff. "After everything you've done, do really expect me to forgive you?"

He watched Taka dip his head in sadness, but his face told the story. He understood why Danny was asking this, and would accept the fact if Danny didn't forgive him for what he had done to the man. A smile crept onto Danny's face. "Still…it's amazing what I've learned about forgiveness. If God can forgive me for the wrong I've done in life, I don't see why the same couldn't happen to you. Taka, I forgive you for what you've done." He walked over and patted the lion's head.

The smile on Taka's face was something Danny had never seen before. It wasn't the smug, evil smile he had seen before, but rather a calm, peaceful, and inviting smile that brought warmth instead of a shiver down Danny's back. Despite himself, Danny couldn't help but return the smile.

Taka took in a deep breath before saying, "Thank you, Danny. I'm glad we could square things away."

"The feeling is mutual Sca-I mean, Taka."

"Danny."

Everyone turned to see Jesus standing a distance from them. Everyone bowed down before Him, and Danny stepped forward. Jesus walked towards him and stopped less than a foot away from Danny. He placed arm around Danny's shoulder. "Come. Our time is short. Your friends may follow, but cannot advance past the borders of this land."

"Yes, Lord."

They all walked through the tropical paradise and returned to the white dunes of the endless desert. Jesus and Danny walked into the desert, but stopped about twenty yards outside of the oasis. The lions stood watch there and looked on as Jesus turned to face Danny. "I know what you are about to ask me, my child."

Danny smiled sheepishly. "Then there's no need to ask to see my family."

Jesus smiled and pointed out to the sandy beyond. At first, there was nothing but sand. Danny narrowed his eyes to see if he needed to look harder. But then, he saw four silhouettes approaching him. It didn't take long to figure out who was coming his way. One was a man, about Danny's height. He was still balding like Danny remembered, and the mustache he preferred was still there. Next to him was a more heavyset woman, walking and holding his hand. Two shorter girls walked on either side of them; one was athletically trim while the other was a little bit heavier, but not by much. It was Danny's family, the rest of the Mannings. His father Dennis, his mother, Gabrielle, and his two younger sisters, Raechel and Callie.

Danny wanted to run and hug them, but found himself unable to. It was like his feet were made of cement. He was going to ask Christ why this was happening, but just decided to wait until his family came close to him. He wanted to run and embrace each one of them tell them of his journey, but found he would have to be patient. They came close and stopped about six feet away from him. They all wore bright, beaming smiles. Each of their expressions seemed to have a glow around them.

Danny couldn't hold back the tears. "It's so good to see you again. I've missed you all so much."

Dennis smiled back at his son. "That makes five of us, Daniel. You've made us very proud."

Gabrielle rested her head on her husband's shoulder. "We love you so much, Danny." She gave a sad smile. "We only wish we could embrace you right now."

The only son of the Manning's frowned. "Why can't you? For that matter, why can't I?"

Callie answered. "You'll find out in a little while. Too bad we couldn't get to buy some muscle cars, but it's been pretty good up here. You'll enjoy it when the time comes."

Before Danny could reply, his sister Raechel cut him off. "Don't bother asking. We aren't going to tell you, and a tickle torture won't help you out."

Danny laughed and raised his hands. "Okay, I give. But that's not going to make my tears just go away. I haven't seen you guys in years, so you can't blame me for feeling this way. I just wish that we could've had things different, you guys. I miss watching movies together, going to muscle car shows together, pretty much everything with all of you."

His mother shrugged. "What happened, happened for a reason. We miss spending time with you as well. There was nothing you could do to prevent our physical deaths, Danny."

The tears now stung Danny's eyes. Hearing that made him cry even more. "I wish I was there to help you, to avoid this from happening."

Callie looked at him incredulously. "Dude, what are you talking about? You'd be right here with the four of us. You were home for a reason, and it was to fight the creep who killed us."

"It doesn't matter anymore," Danny responded glumly. "I'm dead now, so I'm right here with you regardless."

Raechel pointed a finger at him. "That's where you're wrong."

Danny shook his head. He thought he was hearing things, but the looks on his family's faces told him he wasn't imagining anything. "I…I don't understand."

"You soon will," Raechel responded. "It's time for us girls to go to leave you and Dad for the quick guy talk."

"Huh? Wait, no. Don't leave," Danny begged. He looked to Jesus, but couldn't find Him anywhere. "Please, Lord. Don't let them go now." He turned around to see his mother and two sisters beginning to lift off the ground and head up to the sky above. "Wait, guys. Please! I love you! Don't go!"

As they began to disappear into the clouds above, Danny heard them each have a final statement for him.

"Stay strong, Danny!"

"It'll be alright, bro!"

"I love you, my son!"

Now, Danny was left with his father. They were still separated by some sort of barrier, and it was frustrating Danny. He wanted to hug his father, to hold one final embrace. Dennis paced back and forth. "Son, you have made me prouder than any father could be of his son. What I taught you when you were younger, you didn't like it at the time, but you now know why I did it. It was so that you could be prepared for these kinds of situations. But the moments I treasure the most were the fun times we had together. The football games we went to, the car shows, the laser tag games we played…and who can forget the video games?"

Danny choked up his words. "I remember…I remember it all. I want to go back to those times, when there was just us." His father looked at him with sympathy, knowing that bringing back those memories were painful as they were enjoyable. Danny's eyes were red-rimmed as he was now finding it harder to cry anymore. "Dad, I miss you. I miss talking to you. I just want everything to be the way it was before."

Dennis shook his head. "Sadly, we can't return to those times, son. The Lord had things happen for a reason, but we have no right to be upset with Him. We are His creations, we aren't the kings. We can question Him, though. We can cry out for answers to find out why things happen, so that we may have our answers and understand."

"What is your answer, Dad?"

"My answer is, my answer. Danny, you need to find your _own _answer." Dennis looked up at the sky and back at Danny. "It's time for me to go, but don't worry. We'll be together again, one day." He began to lift off the ground and head up towards the sky.

Danny shouted out to his father one last time. "I love you, Dad!"

"I love you too, Danny." As he lifted up to the sky, Dennis shouted one last statement to his son. "Paratus Preliator, Danny!" Then he was gone.

Danny fell to his knees, crying again, but with no tears. That last statement his father said was the same phrase that had been the name of his ship, and its meaning caused even more confusion to Danny. "Make ready the warrior," he said, remembering the Latin translation for the phrase. "But does that mean that…"

Before he could even finish the question out loud, Jesus appeared again before him. He placed both hands on Danny's shoulders. "You have done well, good and faithful servant. But your mission was left unfinished."

"I know, Lord. But there's nothing I can do about it. I'm dead."

"Nothing _you_ can do, but there is something _I_ will do about it." He waved his hand. In front of them, a cloud appeared. This cloud began projecting images off of its form, as if it were a television. It showed a picture of a very familiar foe: Dasyu. He was ordering his troops to places and taking off from the stronghold to head elsewhere. Then it showed an image of tank, rover, and air drones being sent out by Dasyu to go out and destroy the world. "The enemy is getting ready to destroy this land, and will stretch out beyond that. Everything in his path will be destroyed."

Danny frowned, not fully understanding the whole situation. "But I doubt you will let that happen to Earth, Lord."

Jesus turned to him. "That's right, my child. But you are going to help with that." He looked up to the sky above him, then looked down, then back at Danny. "You see, you are returning to the world you left. You will finish what you started, and complete the mission. The enemy thinks he has no obstacle now, and you will have the element of surprise on your side."

Danny was shocked. Did the Lord just tell him that he was going back to Earth? He was trying to find the right question to ask. "I don't understand. I'm dead, aren't I?"

Jesus smiled. "You are not dead, but asleep. When you wake up, you will not be the same."

The last statement left Danny confused. His worn out expression matched his voice. "What do you mean? Why is this up to me?"

"To fight your enemy, you will be on equal ground in form. You have the heart of a lion, the courage of a warrior, and the love of a father to his son. You will return not as a man, but rather a triumvirate form like never before."

What Danny was being told was nearly beyond comprehension. He was about to return to take care of Dasyu and save the others. But where was Zainabu, Malka and the others? "Lord, where are my friends?"

"They will be sent back with you, my child," He replied. "They, too, will return in a different form to aid you in your fight. You will not be alone in this battle. Not only will they be with you, I will be with you as well, watching over you." He looked back at the oasis, to see the lions looking on. "This is your last time to speak with your friends."

"Thank you, Lord." Danny walked back to the lions he had called his family. This was going to be the last time he would see them until his time would officially come. He would take the moments while he could, and savor them. As he walked up to them, he knelt down. "I guess I'm going back." Mufasa, Sarafina, Taka, and Yihana came close to him. Danny embraced them in a group hug. "I'm gonna miss all of you, and it was great to catch up on things."

"Likewise, Danny," Yihana answered, nuzzling his face. "Just don't wait too long when you do return. It's not as much fun without your ugly mug around."

"Glad to hear it," Danny said with a mix of happiness and sarcasm. He looked at Sarafina. "I'll give your regards to Nala when I return. It was good to talk to you again."

Her blue eyes sparkled. "Yes, it was. Take care, Danny. We'll miss you deeply."

Danny turned to Mufasa. "I know I never said this to you, Mufasa, but you were a second father to me. The things you taught me, the love you showed to me when I first came…I can't tell you how much that meant to me."

"I think I have a good idea," Mufasa said with a smirk. "Just keep on what you've been doing in the Pride Lands and tell my son I'm proud of him."

"Done deal…Dad." Danny turned to face Taka. The lion who was once his enemy gave him an urgent, pleading expression. Danny looked at him, expectantly. "Well, Taka. You look like you have something to say to me. What is it?"

"It's not me, Danny…directly, anyways. It's about Zira," Taka watched Danny cringe a little bit. "I asked for forgiveness and was forgiven, but Zira is still heading down a dark path. Unlike me, it doesn't look like it will change. Unless…"

"Unless?"

Taka looked at him with determination. "Unless you convince her of the redemption I have been given. If nothing happens, she will die apart from us. You need to convince her to get off the path she is on."

Mufasa also added in his input. "Zira and her lionesses are currently heading for the Pride Lands to do battle against Simba and the rest of the pride. When they meet to fight, and they will fight, the pride's end is certain. But if you return, you can provide a solution, a game-changer as you once called it, to convince the two groups to join as one."

Danny looked at Mufasa as if he just told the man to jump into a lava pit. "Convince Zira to join us? I'm sure Simba might give her a second chance, but I don't think Zira will be so willing to join together again, not without ulterior motives."

He felt Taka place a paw on his shoulder. "You still need to try," his pleading expression was full of pain. "Please, Danny. Try to convince her otherwise. I don't want her to end up apart from us, from me. There still is hope for her."

The man nodded solemnly. "Alright, Taka. I'll do my best."

"Thank you, Danny."

Mufasa spoke again. "To convince her, you can't be sarcastic nor spiteful nor full of pride. Those won't help, and fighting her won't change her, either. There is only one thing that can change her: love."

"Yes, yes," Taka added. "That will greatly help. Remind her of her adolescent years, of how both of us became ostracized from the pride. Show her love, and maybe she might turn away from it."

Danny felt something new enter into him. It was overpowering and unbelievable at the same time. It was sympathy, care, and the willingness to forgive Zira and give her a second chance. "I'll do that. I hope we can avoid as much bloodshed, especially if we're to be fighting Dasyu. We can't afford to fight everyone at once."

"Then do it, Danny." Mufasa turned to looked over Danny's shoulder. "I think it's time for you to get moving, soldier."

"You're right," Danny stood. "I love you guys. Take care and see ya later!" He turned to head back to Jesus. He heard their cheers and encouraging words fade behind him as he broke out in a jog to where Jesus was waiting. When he turned back, the oasis was gone, faded into thin air. Now, it was just Jesus and Danny.

Danny stopped before the Lord and stood there. He was expecting Christ to speak, but there was complete silence. Small waves of sand blew around their feet, but there was no sound of wind. The only sound was his breathing and his footsteps. Danny looked around while Christ looked straight at him. Danny resettled his gaze on the Lord. "Um, Lord? Are we waiting for something? Or someone?"

Jesus pointed behind him, forcing Danny to turn around.

The oasis that was once behind him was now gone, replaced by the white, sandy dunes. The only thing he could see was an approaching lion. But it was not just any lion. Danny knew this lion very well. Even from a distance, he could tell this lion was looking around, seeming totally lost. In an ordinary situation, Danny would've laughed or, at the very least, smiled at this. But this was anything but an ordinary situation.

Danny looked at the lion incredulously. _He can't be dead, can he?_ He looked back at Jesus. The Lord was still standing there, smiling at him. Danny was about to ask, but decided against. _He knows what's going on around here. Heck, He knows me better than I know myself._ He walked toward the wandering lion, shaking his head with bewilderment. He smiled as the lion came near. "I really would like to hear your explanation as to what you are you doing here? Last I checked, only the physically dead come here."

"No," the lion said, shaking the sand out of his russet mane. "I'm not dead. At least, I'm pretty sure of that. You wouldn't believe what I just went through."

The human smirked. "Try me, Simba."

Simba shook his head. "Zira just tried to kill me, and after some unexpected help, Kovu as well."

"What do you mean?" Danny said, frowning.

"Turns out he _was_ a spy after all. I can only assume the fire that almost got Kiara was a ploy to get him into the pride. His goal was to kill me, and I thought he was going to kill me when he had the chance." Simba blinked, still finding it hard to believe. "But he didn't. He saved my life and we escaped. Of course, I didn't exactly escape unharmed. I think that's why I'm here. I'm pretty sure I'm just unconscious."

"I hope so," Danny said. He smiled. "Of course, I hoped Kovu would do the right thing. I guess he learned some truths during his stay." He waved his hands around. "Okay, here's the deal. I'm dead, but it doesn't look to be that way for long."

"How close were you to rescuing my mother?"

Danny held his finger and thumb a centimeter apart. "I was _this _close. I saw them, and then Dasyu shoots me in the back like a little weasel. I'm gonna get him for that. Anyways, it looks like I'll be heading back. From what I learned, Zira is about to attack the Pride Lands. You need to be ready for the battle."

"Don't worry, Danny. With three lions, we should make short work of Zira. Then we'll have peace again."

Danny held up a hand. "No. We don't want to kill Zira and the Outsiders, Simba."

Simba looked at Danny as if the man just told him to get eaten by a crocodile. "What? You want me to let her live?"

"Give her one last chance to head back to the Outlands. If she does, that will give me the time to talk to her." He sighed. _This might be hard for him to digest._ "Simba, I've recently learned that even the most evil of beings can be forgiven if they ask. Fighting will never change a person on the inside; I think Zira is the perfect example of that. I say we change our tactics."

The lion frowned. "What do you mean?"

Danny let out a mirthless laugh. _I can't believe I'm about to say this. _"I say we show her love and forgive her. Let the past be past and move on to something new. Otherwise, this conflict will only end in absolute bloodshed."

Simba's reaction was exactly what he expected: shock. "You want me to forgive the lioness who sided with Scar and caused all sorts of pain for us? That's crazy!"

Distance was closed as Danny placed a hand on Simba's shoulder. "Wouldn't _you_ want a second chance if you did all the things she had done? Wouldn't you wanna be forgiven?" Another question popped in his head. "What would your father do in this case?"

That was the question that got Simba thinking. Simba always talked about following in Mufasa's paw prints. Now, he was one of the situations where that would come into play. If he did go through with this, it would effect his life forever. It was the right thing to do, and he knew he should forgive her. If he didn't, he might as well be Scar. He looked back at Danny. "I…you're right. She does deserve to be forgiven. I'll try to get her to return. I think you're the more prepared to reason with her."

The answer made Danny smile. "Good choice."

"What if she refuses to go back?"

Danny thought that over for a split second. "If she doesn't…then fight. But try to hold out as long as possible. I'll do my best to get back as fast as possible. Stay defensive, but go on the offense if things get desperate."

"I'll do what I can on my end. Be careful, though." Simba pulled Danny into a tight embrace.

His brother returned it. "You too, brother. I hope to see you again soon."

Simba broke the embrace and turned to walk away. He turned around and headed back the way he came. A few paces away, he stopped to look at Danny once more. "Paratus Preliator, Danny."

Danny laughed. "You're sounding more and more like Mufasa that it's scary." It reminded him of the time he reunited with Simba after years of thinking he was dead, the time when he had the dream of talking with Mufasa and what the lion said to him before he woke up.

The lion laughed as well. "See you on the other side." He walked away, and disappeared from view.

Danny turned around and knelt before the Lord. "I am ready, Lord. Show me the way."

Jesus lifted His hand, and soon Danny began to lift off of the ground. "I did not create man to be alone, and you will not be alone. You will spend the rest of your life with a woman, a mate and helper, so that you will be whole. Go forth, my child, and finish the mission. Just always remember, I will always be with you."

Just before He vanished from sight, Jesus said, "You and your friends are now, from this point on, no longer just part of a family. You will all be known as a group of closely-knit warriors. You are Preliators."

As he was lifted up, Danny found himself revolving in circles. He also noticed bright lights began entering inside of his body. Soon, his whole body began to glow white, similar to the way he glowed in the portal he entered into years ago, where it all started. As he glowed, a determined smile crept across his face.

"Get ready, Dasyu. Because I'm coming for you."

He was on his way back home.

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**Okay, here's a few things about this chapter. First, I do NOT believe in reincarnation. That's one great thing about this website: it's fiction. Just because you write something, doesn't mean that's what you believe(though at least 75% of writers do write what they believe). I believe that one man will live this life, die, and then face judgment. **

**Second, I DO believe that God exists. I believe that we are all sinners and the punishment for that is eternal separation from God. But He loved us all(Yes, all of us) so much that He sent His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to live a perfect life, pay the price for our sins, and rise from the dead three days later to prove that He was God. I, myself, have repented of my sins, accepted Christ as my one and only Savior, and have dedicated my life to honoring and glorifying Him with my life.**

**It doesn't matter what we've done, God can and will forgive us of our sins if we ask. But it comes at a price: you have to deny yourself and give your life to Christ.**

**Now, I'm not forcing my faith on all of you readers. I'm simply sharing my faith. It's your call to accept or reject Christ. This is also not a religion. Religion doesn't get you into heaven, only a relationship with Jesus Christ.**

**But to finish up, I hope you've enjoyed the story so far. Bear with me, because I'm almost at the end of this book. Also, I wrote the Romans Road's verses early in the chapter. I highly recommend you read them; they're in the Bible in the book of Romans(hence, the Roman's Road). If you have any questions, feel free to send me a message.**


	28. Domo Arigato Mr Roboto

**Hey, everyone. I'm just gonna say this: enjoy this chapter! It's about to take a serious twist.**

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Like before, there was complete darkness. He didn't see anything, nor hear anything. But his mind had told him he was back in the land of the living. He could definitely feel something different inside of him, and it was a newfound strength and determination. But it wasn't his natural strength that had built; it was something else. More powerful, more energetic, but he couldn't quite tell what it was.

Danny slowly opened up his eyelids, and tried to see what he was looking at. Everything was completely blurry, but soon he could see things becoming more focused in his vision. He was in the prisoner complex, laying down where he had been shot. There was not a soul in sight, and he soon realized that he needed to get up and move.

He slowly got up and steadied himself. His legs were a little wobbly, at first. Eventually, he was able to stand with little trouble. Danny's first thought were the lionesses stuck in the cell. Danny walked over to the cell that he had seen Sarabi and the others in. No one was inside the cells; they were gone. No blood, no pieces of fur, absolutely nothing. They either had been moved or killed. Danny felt frustration kick in, as he wanted to know for sure what happened to the lionesses.

"This can't be happening. They have to be alive, they can't be dead." Then a thought crossed his mind. _But if they're not dead, then where are they? _He wasn't sure, but he was going to find the others and get out of here.

Down on the ground was his pistol that he had before being killed. He reached down for it. That was when the different feeling was coupled with a different look. His hand was no longer skin and flesh, but rather, a hard and metallic alloy. He frowned. "What the…?"

He looked around his body. The Lord said that he would be a triumvirate form, a form of three. But in all his wildest imaginations, he never imagined himself having a robot form. He saw a window to another room by the entrance of the cell bay, and ran to it. It wasn't as good as a mirror, but it helped out enough. Danny gaped in shock; his form was impressive. A mix of gold and black detail, it was an imposing look. His face was now a dark gold, with what looked like a black helmet attached to his head. The head of a lion was formed on his chest and all four black limbs were covered in dark gold armor plating.

Danny was both excited and awestruck. "Wow…I'm liking the new form."

He wondered about the lion head on his chest and thought of the first time he encountered Dasyu. Danny's arch nemesis had started out in a human form and then had turned into a lion. Then he had transformed into a robotic form. Danny was in a robotic form, and since he was supposed to have three forms, he figured he also had a lion form as well as his original human body. He wanted to know for sure. He was already in a robotic form, so he needed to figure out how to get into his other two forms.

Of course, he didn't exactly have a "how-to" manual for this. That is, until a readout materialized in front of him. It showed two procedures. The first one showed a robot figure, with an arrow pointing at the form of a lion. The second one showed the lion with an arrow pointing at the form of a man. Above the first procedure was the word "Transform", and the second procedure was preceded by the word "Morph".

It didn't take Danny long to realize these were code words that would cause him to change form. The fact that one form was a lion was both shocking and just absolutely cool to him. Danny decided to test them. "Okay…morph."

He was expecting something to happen, but didn't feel anything nor heard anything. He looked back into the glass, only to find that he was still a transformer. He frowned. "What the heck? I thought this was supposed to turn me back into a man…" He looked up at the ceiling. "Lord, is there something you forgot to tell me?"

As if an answer to his query, another readout popped up in his view. This time, it was a red box filling with a script-text. _"Unable to comply. Speak the correct voice command as displayed."_ The box then showed one word: "Transform".

Danny shook his head. "Oh, boy. Why do I have the feeling that this is going to be more irritating than ever?" He sighed before saying the command. "Transform."

In the blink of an eye, his eyesight suddenly shifted to a lower level. It took a second for him to realize this, and suddenly changed his view to his hands and feet. What was once his hands were now huge, golden paws. Danny nearly fainted at realizing he was now a transformable lion. _This is almost too much for me to take._ He looked down again, and noticed the pistol he had been holding had fallen out of his grasp.

He got walked around, trying to get used to being on all fours. His limbs felt more energetic, but the lack of coordination made him nearly tumble over his own feet. Eventually, it started becoming a relatively easy adjustment. He wasn't sure if he was ready to break out in a sprint just yet, so he wasn't going to try. This was not the time nor the place for this. Danny did, however, place his paws up to see what his lion form looked like.

His entire form was a golden tan body of fur. His mane was a very glorious golden, and it made him look larger than he already was. Danny couldn't help but smile as he looked upon his impressive form. He was never the type to always look at himself, but this was just an amazing change to him. His body was very fit, showing muscle definition everywhere and rippled a few times around his shoulders. The one thing that had carried over from his human self were the brown eyes. _At least one thing hasn't changed._

As cool as it was, Danny realized he had a job to do, and being in his lion form, he didn't have the time to completely adjust to it. The fact that it would be hard to fly out of the facility with paws. "Time to get back to normal. Now, what was the command? Oh, yeah…morph."

Once again, his eyesight lifted, as he had changed forms for the second time. This time, he was back as a human. Being alive again and back in his original body made him feel relieved. His clothes were the same from when he was first killed by Dasyu. It sounded weird to him that he was killed and now back from the dead. Now, it was time to get out of here and find the others. Then he needed to get back to the pride. Time was not on his side, and he needed to move immediately. Danny picked up the pistol. "Time to leave, and you're gonna come in handy, my little friend."

The entrance to the cell bay opened up, and Danny spun around, aiming his pistol that way. His jaw dropped at what he saw next.

Standing there was not one of Dasyu's soldiers, not one of the lions, but a woman. She looked to be about his age and his height. Her skin was a creamy white, not a pale white, and her hair was a very light brown. Her figure had an athletic, trim build, and her smile made Danny's heart melt. What caught Danny's attention the most were her eyes, a jaded green, and a very familiar green at that. She wore a black t-shirt and trim cargos, with a small jacket covering part of the shirt. She was beautiful, and Danny was at a loss for words.

Finally, he stuttered out the words, "W-Wh-Who are…y-you?" Danny mentally slapped himself. In all the time he had been here, he had hardly ever stuttered like this. But then again, he had never been near a beautiful girl since coming here.

The girl smiled. "It's me, Danny." Her sweet, youthful voice gave it away immediately. "It's Zee." She looked down at herself and back up. "I guess I've received some sort of makeover. I have to say…it's different from being a lioness. Walking on two feet instead of four, looking up higher…it's a whole new-"

She stopped as she noticed his stunned expression. Zainabu found it very cute to see him flabbergasted like this. He looked like a drooling idiot sans the drool. Of course, she knew this couldn't go on forever. Zainabu waved her hand in front of him. "Danny? It's me, Zainabu. The lioness you've known for seven years."

Suddenly, Danny jumped forward and wrapped her in a huge hug. Tears of joy streamed down Danny's cheeks, still trying to grasp things. Zainabu, the love of his life and best friend, was alive and had been transformed into a human. "Oh my God, Zee. I'm so glad you're alive! This is-oh, Zainabu. I'm so happy that you're back."

Zainabu happily returned the hug, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Oh, Danny. I'm glad to be back, and especially with you…now that I know how you feel about me." She pulled back and gave him a very sweet smile, followed by a wink. Both gestures made Danny's heart threaten to pound out of his chest.

The sorrow of his timing emerged, and it showed in his voice. "Zee, I'm so sorry I waited so long to tell you. I guess I was trying to deny it because you were a lioness and I was a human." His smile re-emerged and held her in a gentle, loving embrace. "But it doesn't matter anymore. I love you, Zainabu."

Zainabu pulled back again, and green locked with light brown as their eyes focused on the other. "I love you too, Danny." She cocked her head a little. "I was wondering…how do humans show their affection for each other?"

Danny arched an eyebrow before smiling again. "Let me show you." He placed one arm around her neck, one arm around her waist, and pulled her in.

For the first time in their lives, Danny and Zainabu kissed. What a kiss, it was. Danny had never kissed a girl before, and it was absolutely electrifying. Heat and excitement rose inside of him as Zainabu wrapped her arms around his neck. He reciprocated and brought his other arm around her waist. He could hear her moan in the middle of the kiss, a audible sign that she was enjoying it as much as he was. To be joined together like this, after years of knowing each other and sharing their lives with the other, was absolute bliss. Danny started to wonder if he was still in heaven, because the kiss sure felt like it.

They held their kiss until a lack of oxygen became their reason to break it. Danny felt a whole new sense of confidence and joy, a sense that he had never felt before since being here in Africa. More importantly, through Zainabu, he felt whole. He examined her features. She had a beautiful face, and after the kiss, she seemed to have a certain glow on it now.

"So how was your first kiss?" Danny asked.

She almost seemed to be in a trance, but answered his question. "That was the most amazing feeling I've ever experienced. How about you?"

"Definitely a first, but I could get used to it for a _long _time." Danny finished that statement with a wink. "You didn't find it at all odd, since you've never kissed before?"

To his surprise, she shook her head. "No, I didn't find it odd. That was some kiss. I definitely wouldn't mind getting another." They both drew in for another kiss.

"I found it odd."

Danny and Zainabu broke from their draw to look at the door to the hangar. Standing there, leaning against the wall, was a transformer. He was fairly tall, about 6'2". He bore much resemblance to Danny's transformer form, with a lion head on his chest and armor plating on each limb and with the same, dual fin-headed helmet on top. However, there were some differences. The majority of the tall robot's body was orange, with a lot more black than Danny's black trim that he sported. But the voice was all-too familiar to Danny.

"Malka?"

Malka smiled as he crossed his arms. "You two looked like you were about to swallow each other's faces."

Danny and Zainabu looked at each other and turned red. However, they never broke from their embrace. Danny cleared his throat. "Um, shouldn't you be somewhere else? You know, guarding to make sure no one ambushes us?"

Malka jerked his head back. "Are you telling me to get lost? This is a free planet."

"That's true, but Zee and I have some business to discuss."

"Yeah, like getting a room," Malka retorted, smiling.

All three of them laughed. It was good to have moments like this. Being back from the dead only magnified the situation. They were back and ready to throw a major hitch in Dasyu's plans. Dasyu thought they were dead, and the newly christened Preliators were going to make sure he would remember them for a long time to come.

However, it would be time to move soon. The three of them walked around and grabbed what weapons were stocked in the prisoner cell watch station. All that was in there were a few pistols and one G36, which Danny took for himself. Malka and Zainabu both grabbed two pistols and Danny showed which magazines were for which pistol. He gave them a quick crash course on the pistols, showing the safety switch and the procedure for loading and unloading the magazine. They caught on quickly and got ready to move out of the hangar.

Danny opened the door and looked out into the hangar. A few soldiers and a lot of technicians were the only opposition. Most of the few soldiers that were there, were over at the collapsed side of the hangar, trying to remove the rubble caused by the explosion from the fuel tanks. Only three remained near the _**Paratus Preliator**_ to guard all of the technicians. The techs were busy calibrating their equipment; none of them seemed to be inside the ship itself.

Closing the door, Danny looked at Zainabu and Malka. "Alright, they've got a bunch of technicians and only a few soldiers. Only three are guarding the technicians and the rest are yanking the rubble that's blocking this hangar from the hangar bay. The three soldiers are the priority because they're the closest and hence, the most dangerous. However, keep your eyes on the techs. I don't want to take the chance of any of them concealing a weapon."

Malka frowned. "Technicians?" He narrowed his eyes, as he seemed to hum. "Those are people who specialize in a certain field of science, right?"

Danny blinked. "Uh, yeah. How'd you figure that out?"

Malka tapped his head. "There's a whole lot of information swirling around in the newly refreshed 'grey matter' up here."

That relieved Danny. Teaching them new things wouldn't be so bad after all, with their new intelligence given to them. "This is good. Your learning curve should be sharp as a blade." He reverted to the original subject. "Anyways, the technicians. My guess is that they're trying to figure out how it ticks, and implement their own ideas into it. We can't let that happen." He growled at the thought of someone messing around with _his _ship. A plan started formulating in his head, and brought them together. "Okay, here's what we do." And he told them.

* * *

A lone, patrolling tank rumbled through the remains of the forest. This tank was a fearsome force to face in battle. Rolling on four independent treads, it was one of the best ground vehicles for rough terrain, and it's sloped armor made it a moving rock. Its turret sported not one, but two 150mm cannons capable of decimating anything in its path, with a .50 caliber machine gun and 7.62 coaxial for infantry support. It was an awesome sight for a friendly, a terror for the enemy.

Unfortunately, it was not being put to much use in the forest. Only two hours ago, it was ablaze in flames. A rainstorm passed by and extinguished the fire and left the forest filled with smoke. There was a surprising number of vegetation in the forest, but it was still not much. Either way, the crew of tankers didn't care; their mission was complete. Now, all that was left was to patrol for any survivors. So far, they hadn't seen anyone. With the forest now bearing a sparse foliage, they wouldn't expect to see any enemies.

It was more than enough for three stalking figures to take cover in. All three were transformers, but none of them had any allegiances with the tank crew. The commonalities between them were an animal head folded onto their chest, with armored plating on every limb. However, they each had their differences. Leading the trio was dark brown figure, with black trim and green detail to give a perfect camouflage combination. The other had a light tan with a very contrasting royal blue trim and detail to match his eyes; he also was a little less bulky than the brown transformer. The last, unlike the first two, was a cheetah with gold and orange armor, and black trim. He was the smallest, but had the form of a marathon runner.

The cheetah looked at the brown figure. "So, Chumvi…what's the plan for this tank?"

Chumvi looked back at him. "I say we take it. We could eliminate the crew and move on, but we're gonna need some firepower to reach the hangar. I'm pretty sure Danny will be handling things in there, but even he will need backup. You good with the plan, Haraka?"

Haraka nodded. "Sounds good to me."

Chumvi looked at the tan Preliator. "Tupac, you think you can handle the driving?"

Tupac pulled out a wire attached his forearm. "With this, it shouldn't be a problem." One thing each of the Preliators were given in their new forms was an information download. It would come in handy for extracting important files, receiving codes, and learning how to handle vehicles.

"That goes for all of us," Haraka said, crouching down. "I'll take the smaller gun. I think it was called a machine gun."

"And I'll take the main cannon," Chumvi finished. "Let's get into position."

The three spread out and ran up behind the tank. So far, they were still undetected by the vehicle's crew. That was about to change, and for once, they would have the upper hand. Chumvi reached the back and climbed up onto the deck. Haraka and Tupac flanked either side of the dual-treads of the tank. Chumvi looked around for the opening. Sure enough, he found it, but not the way he would have preferred. A hatch opened, with a soldier coming out. Chumvi crouched low and backed off while Haraka and Tupac went prone to avoid being seen.

The tank commander looked around before stepping out. "Why do we have to do this? There's nothing here and a bunch of animals aren't going to get inside this tank."

A voice from inside shouted back at him. "Well, that's what Commander Lash said, sir. Straight from the top by Dasyu."

"Yes, but even he doesn't believe there's any real threat out here now that the human's been dealt with. Just keep your eyes open and your trigg-"

Chumvi made his move; he grabbed him from behind and broke his neck. Without delay, he tossed the commander's body over his shoulder, landing in the rear of the tank. Haraka and Tupac stood and got ready to board the tank. Chumvi waited until the other one inside the tank came out of the hatch.

"What was that, boss? I didn't-whoa!"

Chumvi punched the transformer in the face, breaking it in with the force of his punch. He pulled the pistol out of the holster of the now-comatose soldier, and tossed him down next to his commander. Chumvi hopped in, only to find the driver sitting in his seat. He turned to see Chumvi and froze. He was in shock at the sudden appearance of a new being and not his commander or driver.

Chumvi waved his hand. "Hi, we're the replacements." He brought the pistol up and shot the driver.

The blow snapped the driver's head back, and the body fell back on the controls in a heap. The tank's crew was finally neutralized, with two dead and one who was going to wake up in a lot of pain. Haraka and Tupac were about to get in, but Chumvi waved his hand. "Hold on, guys." He grabbed the driver's body and brought it up to them. "You need to dispose of the garbage first so you can sit in here."

Tupac and Haraka lifted the body and strained to toss it aside. Tupac groaned. "Why are these guys so heavy?"

Haraka shrugged. "Probably ego. It's a heavy burden to carry." Both Tupac and Haraka shared a laugh, and jumped into the tank.

It was fairly cramped, and there were a lot of controls inside. But all it would take would be a port to jack in and load up on the info for the three of them, so they weren't nervous at the sight. Chumvi pointed to the gunner's seat, knowing where the driver was sitting at, and told Haraka to head there. Tupac deducted where he would sit and didn't need to be told. Chumvi took the commander's seat and studied the controls.

The seat held simple controls, with two control sticks. Chumvi gripped the controls and slowly pushed the sticks forward. A cranking noise was heard outside and Chumvi looked through the view screen to see the dual cannons lowering down towards the ground in front of them. He pulled back on the sticks and the cannons rose. _Doesn't seem so bad, _he thought. He pushed the left stick forward and pulling back on the right one. The turret started to traverse to the right. Chumvi flipped actions and watched the turret swivel back to the left. He let go of the controls and cracked his knuckles. "Doesn't seem so bad," he said, breaking out in a smirk. He looked at the other two. "How are you guys doing?"

Haraka turned to give him a thumbs-up. "This cat is ready to pounce."

Tupac was a little delayed in responding. He was focused on studying the controls, and the port he had jacked into was helping him out greatly. He held up a hand, indicating for them to wait a minute. "Just a little…longer…I got it." He turned around and looked at Chumvi. "I'm ready to roll." He looked back at the port and back to Chumvi. "Also, these tanks have autoloaders for the main cannon. That way, you don't have to reload the rounds yourself."

"Thanks for the hot tip, Tupac. Alright, then…move out to the hangar."

Tupac pushed the two levers on either side of him forward and the tank was rolling through the forest, on its way to the edge where the open field was. It was still dark out, but the previous crew left the night vision on, so it was easy to use and easy to see. There were still a whole lot of troops in the area, and a decent amount of tanks as well. They faced at least eight-to-one odds; this was going to be bad either way.

Haraka gasped. "That's a whole lot of muscle to push through."

"Relax, guys," Chumvi said. "As far as they know, we're all on the same team. Just be ready for anything."

It didn't take long before their first test came, as the radio became active. "This is Rat Cage," A deep voice said over the comm. "All Dune Rats, standby for check in." A moments delay came. "Dune Rat One."

"Dune Rat One checking in," another voice responded.

"Dune Rat Two."

"Dune Rat Two checking in."

Haraka heard this and slumped. "Oh, great. What do we do now? They're reporting in on a checkup. If we do, they might know something's up because we don't sound anything like the crew we just did away with."

"We'll just try our best and hope it passes," Chumvi said, sounding a little nervous himself. If they were found out, it was a long distance to the hangar. He didn't know if they could make it there in one piece, and even though they had a tank, there were at least eight that he could spot. That was not including all of the foot soldiers.

"Dune Rat Four." Silence followed. No one responded. "Rat Cage to Dune Rat Four, report in."

"Dune Rat Four must be us," Tupac said. "Say something."

Chumvi picked up the radio and spoke into it. "Dune Rat Four checking in."

The deep voice came back again. "Dune Rat Four, respond at once."

Chumvi frowned. He was confused, all the while growing nervous. _Why can't he hear me? Are we even Dune Rat Four? Maybe it's someone else who is not reporting in and he just hasn't gotten to us yet. _It was then when he realized that a black button was on the side of the radio. It was a push-to-talk button, and he immediately knew that he needed to push the button in order to talk. "I am such an idiot. I forgot to push the button." He pushed it and spoke again. "Dune Rat Four checking in. Apologies there, Rat Cage. Had some bugs in the radio we were working on."

There were a few seconds before a response, and they were the longest seconds of Chumvi's life. "Copy that, Dune Rat Four. Rat Cage out."

Chumvi dropped the radio and let out a sigh of relief. "That was a close one." He looked at the others. Tupac was focused on his driving, but Chumvi could sense the same tension he was feeling. Haraka's face clearly showed it, as his leg began twitching and his fingers were gripping the coaxial gun's pistol grips so tight that it was a wonder they didn't break off.

Tupac spoke first. "I hope that was the hard part, because I don't want to face these guys unless we have to. They've got a lot of firepower out there. That, and the fact that we're still trying to get used to our new forms is a challenge in and of itself."

"Join the club, kid," Haraka replied.

"Who are you calling 'kid?'" He quipped.

Chumvi waved them down. "Easy, easy. Let's just worry about getting to the hangar before they figure out who we really are."

The radio came alive again. "Uh, Dune Rat Four, recite the access code for the day."

It was official: Chumvi had jinxed them.

That was the last thing they wanted to hear, and the relief that had been flooding through them drained quickly. They were exposed, and there was nothing they could do. Chumvi cursed. "We're compromised. Open fire!" He grabbed the turret controls, centered on the closest tank, and fired.

The entire area, once fairly quiet with just the sound of soldiers talking and engines rumbling, now erupted with a big boom. The shell connected right between the treads of the tank near them. It was enough to penetrate the body of the metal beast and rip it apart from the inside out. The tank was dead. Chumvi aimed at the second tank that was closest to them. The scope showed the heat signatures of the vehicles. The largest ones were tanks, so it made things easier for Chumvi to track the tanks. He centered his targeting brackets on the tank, which happened to be showing it's rear to Chumvi, and fired. The tank in his sights soon became nothing but smoke and debris.

Haraka opened up with the coaxial, tearing through the scores of infantry. The foot soldiers fired back, but their weapons didn't even put a dent in the armor. The coaxial, on the other hand, was cutting them down by the tens; all of them panicked and scattered. A couple lighter vehicles, trucks and rovers, came charging in at him, and soon became his priority targets. The closest two rovers fell victim to Haraka's wildfire, as did a troop truck.

Tupac was steadily driving the tank, swerving to avoid obstacle after obstacle while trying to give the best shots possible for his friends. Occasionally, he would get a little reckless and run over any soldiers who were unfortunate to get in his way. But he kept his focus on the job, and that job was to get to the hangar as fast as possible. On his scope, his screen flashed red, forcing him to see what was going on. A tank had centered its sights on them and was about to fire.

Chumvi fired, claiming another tank and let out a shout. "Yes, I got him!"

Tupac alerted him to the danger. "Chumvi, there's a tank to our left. He's firing on us!"

As he cut his celebration short, Chumvi tried to turn the turret around, but it was too late. The tank fired, and in two seconds, all three Preliators were rocked as the shell hit them. Haraka and Chumvi were slammed against the wall by the concussion of the blast, suddenly dazed and woozy from the hit. Tupac had kept death grips on his controls, and kept the tank from stopping. Of course, they all thought they were dead.

To their surprise, they were still rolling forward. Haraka and Chumvi slowly, but surely, manned their spots and looked to see why they were still alive. The diagnostic screen next to Chumvi's seat indicated damage to the tank, but it was still functional. The tank's armor was much tougher than they thought, and that sent them all into a state of euphoria.

"We're still alive," Tupac exclaimed.

"Nothing can stop us!" Haraka shouted. Another shell rocked the tank. "Well, almost."

Chumvi aimed at the tank, and fired before it got a shot off. The shell didn't hit the tank directly, but rather, it had struck the other tank's two cannons. The result was a tank with two mangled weapons and no way of dealing with the renegade tank. They were out of the fight with them, and the euphoria returned. They still had five tanks to beat, but with all of them spread out, it would be easier to make it to the hangar without having to take care of the rest of them.

As they pressed forward, Chumvi closed his hand into a fist. "Alright, guys. Let's get to that hangar."

Then they heard a voice that made their spirits rise even higher. "Chumvi, it's Tojo. Are you there?"

* * *

A little over an hour into the battle, the Pride Landers were facing a dilemma. They had lost ground, their backs were against the wall, and their feet were just ten yards away from the gorge. Simba and the pride had to make a choice about the situation: lie down or hunker down. They chose to fight.

The Outsiders were ready to dig in defensively, as the Pride Landers began to fight out of the shadow of the gorge cliff. For an hour, they had been bloodied, but otherwise, unscathed. The Pride Landers' ground gaining came in small spurts. However, each side had already faced casualties. Four Pride Landers and three Outsiders were either dead, dying, or wounded. However, the loss hurt the former, while the latter picked up the slack.

Unbeknownst to most of the lions, many animals had come from the Pride Lands to watch. In the rain, most of the people would seek shelter. But this was a matter of who would rule over them, and their curiosity and anxiety got the better of them. Even though they couldn't intervene, that didn't mean they could watch and cheer on their pride.

Tanabi and his small group made considerable strides as they worked their way through the Outsiders lines, causing them to fall back and regroup in order to halt him. Their knifing attacks led to a fifty yard, charging drive. The Outsiders were starting to get on their heels, struggling to stem the momentum and make another push of their own.

Simba, who was in the rear, was calling the shots. Granted, he wasn't just sitting back and letting the pride do the dirty work; he was fighting just as much and just as hard as they were. But someone needed to call the attacks. Zira was doing the same thing with the Outsiders, and both groups of lions viewed either leader as the ultimate prize: kill them, and the battle would be all but sealed.

Simba barked orders. "Shift to the right, shift right!" The right side of the lines were beginning to sputter and break apart. A shift in the attack would balance out that problem. Simba then, in spite of his pain, charged into a group of Outsiders, bowling them over. One of them got up quickly and jumped on top of him.

He was about to shake the rogue lioness off, but felt the weight on top of him suddenly disappear. He turned around to see Pumbaa pummeling the lioness into the mud, with Timon on top. Timon had seen the threat, and told Pumbaa to knock the lioness off his back. The shot connected with the lioness' rib cage, with Pumbaa's razor-sharp tusks tearing through some of her flesh. Simba smiled. "Thanks, guys."

Timon gave him a salute. "No problem, buddy. We got your back." That didn't last long, as a group of Outsiders chased the two off in a frantic chase. "Run, Pumbaa! Run for our lives!"

If he had the availability, Simba would've taken off after the lionesses intent on killing his two close friends. Unfortunately, he was the number one target for the Outsiders, and quickly found three lionesses in his face. One of them got too anxious, and went for a diving tackle, only to be met by a clobbering swing from Simba's monstrous paw. He wasted little time, and went for the kill, driving his teeth into her neck and crushing her windpipe.

The other two tried to make their move on him while he was busy with the first lioness, but were denied by Kovu. He had seen the three-to-one situation Simba was facing, and knew he would need help. The fact that Simba was injured only increased the odds against him. Kovu broke off from his group and ran with all he could. He speared the first of the two lionesses, and the impact broke ribs as she let out a howl of pain. The tackle prevented the second lioness from directly attacking Simba, since the two ended up in front of her.

The delay was more than enough for Simba to recover. As the second lioness came around, she found the king of the Pride Lands waiting for him. He clubbed her across the jaw, and Kovu finished her off with a tackle and a strangulating bite. The surviving lioness realized her situation, and backed off as best as she could with the injuries she sustained, and retreated.

Kovu scanned the area for trouble. When there was no immediate danger, he tended to the king. "Simba, are you alright?"

"I am now, thanks to you," came a reply and smile. "Now let's get back in this fight." The two rushed off to take on another group of lionesses.

* * *

The two figures moved swiftly through the night. So far, the battle was taking place around the forest and the open field between that and the stronghold. They were on the fringes of the forest, with nothing but a desert and rock formations behind them. No one under Dasyu's command was near the immediate area, so they had gone unnoticed and were unsuspected. But the eruption of tank blasts was making their senses go from careful to downright red alert status.

They traveled along the edges of the forest, walking along the base of the hill right next to it. Along their path were a bunch of hills, and both suspected they were near the place where Danny was shooting his sniper rifle from earlier. If they could find it, they could be able to figure out how it worked and provide some support, or at least a distraction.

Tojo and Mheetu crept carefully through the uneven ground, sprinting when they were sure no one could see them. Both of them had the same set of armor forms as the others: lion head on the chest, armor plating on the limbs, and a fin-headed helmet. And like the others, colors were the differences. Tojo's armor was a brown hue of red, with a golden yellow trim. Mheetu was a simple creamy white, with black armor and detail.

Because they were out in the night, they couldn't see much. But with a little assistance from their new forms, they were able to find a built-in night vision for their eyes. Now, seeing was a piece of cake, especially with the moon out in full.

Mheetu looked around. "I don't see it, Tojo. Do you?"

His companion shook his head. "Zero, zip, zilch, and a whole lot of nada. I know it's in the general area, but we need to find the conveyor belt thingy that Danny was using to get into the place. If we can find that, then we can hopefully find the rifle."

"Do you think he brought it with him?" Mheetu asked curiously.

Tojo smirked. "That rifle was pretty huge, and he already had the rest of the weapons to drag inside as well. I have a feeling that he was going to leave the rifle. Danny also mentioned something about it being practically useless inside."

"And you're banking on that?"

"That's all I have to bank on."

They kept searching. When they came to the top of an elevation of ground, they stopped to look at what was going on. From what they could see, there was one tank shooting at the others. The rest were caught in the confusion, wondering who it was and trying at acquire the rogue tank. The foot soldiers were trying to get some weapons to take on the tank, but were finding that they didn't have much. It was absolute chaos

Both immediately figured that the rogue tank was crewed by some of their own. Tojo decided to test another thing he and Mheetu found out. He held his right arm out in front of him and tapped a small, red button. Then he spoke into it. "Chumvi, it's Tojo. Are you there?" There was no answer. "Tupac? Haraka? Are you there, guys?" Still no answer. He frowned at Mheetu. "Wonder what's wrong?"

Mheetu shrugged. "It could be that they're under attack and really busy. I think-oh, wait! Try giving them instructions on using the arm communicator. It took us nearly forever trying to figure that out."

Tojo never thought of that, and his slackened expression showed it. "Good idea." He spoke into his communicator. "Chumvi, to communicate back to me, there should be a red button on the wrist of your right arm. Push it and speak into your arm."

Finally, after a few moments, they heard Haraka. "Hey, Tojo. Good to hear your voice again. We appreciate the help with the communications handicap, but we're busy, so be brief with the talk."

"Okay, simple question. Are you in that one tank trying to take on the world?" Tojo's humor never changed.

"If you mean that one tank causing chaos for the others, yeah, that's us. Chumvi and Tupac are here, but we haven't heard from Danny, Malka, or Zainabu. Where are you guys?"

"We're near Danny's position where he was using his sniper rifle. Mheetu and I are trying to find it and give you guys some help there. So far, we haven't found it, but hopefully we will. What's the plan?"

"Right now, the plan is to get to the hangar. We're taking this one step at a time, but the goal is to reach the hangar."

That was good to hear. At least there was a plan; not much, but it was a plan. Tojo watched the pyrotechnics of the battle light up the land in front of him. He figured this was a good time to break the communications and let both groups get back to their respective jobs. "Alright, Haraka. We'll meet you at the hangar and plan from there. Tojo out."

He sighed and placed his hands on his hips. The battle was lighting up the entire sky, and it was going to get real ugly for him real soon. But if they were to find out where their mates and mothers were, and rescue them, then this would be a distant memory to them.

Of course, that wouldn't get done if he was just standing there. "Okay, Mheetu. Let's find that rifle." The head sentinel was surprised to not hear a reply from Mheetu. He turned around, hoping to see his friend playing a joke on him. Mheetu was gone. Tojo frowned. "Mheetu? Where'd you go?"

A voice came through the receiver of his communicator. "To your left, genius. I found the rifle…and I think I foundthe conveyor belt."

Tojo turned around and looked at the hilly region off to his left side. He could see Mheetu waving his arm along the edge of the hill next to them. He couldn't see the belt Mheetu saw, and assumed it was on the side he couldn't see. Tojo ran down the hill he was on and ran up to where Mheetu was. Tojo could see that he was busy with the rifle, and figuring out how it worked. A couple boxes were on one side, a few were on the other side. A set of binoculars were by Mheetu's left arm. He reached down and grabbed on of the boxes on the right side of the rifle.

Mheetu waved at him. "That's empty. It's a box that holds these." He lifted a huge, bronze bullet. "I guess this is what Danny was firing out of this rifle. The full boxes are on my other side."

"How many do you have?" Tojo asked.

"It looks like nine-no, ten boxes. We've got ten boxes. I don't know how many are in each one." He found the magazine ejector and the box in the rifle dropped out. "I've figured out how to get the boxes out, as you can see. I've found the safety switch for the rifle." Mheetu gave a rare smirk to Tojo. "Now for the fun." He picked up the rifle and aimed down the scope.

"So what am I supposed to do?" Tojo asked, irritably. He didn't like being the third wheel, so to speak.

Mheetu handed the binoculars over by Tojo's feet. "Either spot for me or make sure no one sneaks up on us. But either way, shut up so I can focus."

"Shut up? Who do you think you're talking to?"

The white lion/transformer rolled his eyes and looked back up at Tojo. "The playboy I volunteered for his shifts so he could spend quality time with his mate."

"Point taken." Tojo sat down and grabbed the binoculars. With his built-in night vision, he could see through the binoculars normally, but have a magnified view of it. It was almost like the binoculars were powered with a night vision capability. Tojo looked through the binoculars and focused on the battle. He found the tank Haraka was in, blasting at anything in its path. He looked behind the tank to see a bunch of soldiers running after it. "Crap!"

"What is it?"

Tojo pointed to Chumvi's tank. "Right behind Chumvi's tank are a bunch of soldiers coming up behind. I think they're going to try to board it. Can you get them?"

"I can certainly try." Mheetu aimed for the soldiers. "Get Chumvi on the horn. Let him know so he's ready."

Tojo spoke into his communicator. "Chumvi, you don't have to respond to this, but you have some soldiers behind you. We think they're going to board you, so be ready."

He was caught off-guard by Chumvi's abrupt response. "Thanks, Tojo. But we're a little occupied with what's in front of us. I'm going to need you to take care of them. Did you find Danny's rifle?"

Mheetu and Tojo looked at each other and smirked. Mheetu took aim at the group of soldiers, centered the crosshairs of the scope, and placed his finger on the trigger. He slowly moved the crosshairs…

Tojo smiled. "As a matter of fact…"

…on the foremost soldier…

"…we did."

Mheetu fired. The blow rocked him back a little, but he followed through and held tightly. The bullet screamed through the air, closing in on its target. Even though this was his first time ever shooting a weapon, his first shot flew true. The round hit the front running soldier right in the knee, severing his lower leg. "Got him."

"Glad to _hear _it," Chumvi said with a laugh. "Dang, that rifle's loud."

Tojo slapped Mheetu on the shoulder. "Good job, bud. Now get the rest of them." He spoke with Chumvi. "We'll cover you until you reach the hangar. We'll take the conveyor belt into the facility. If you happen to find Danny, let him know of our situation and what we plan to do."

"You got it. Chumvi out."

Placing his arm back to his side, he pulled up the binoculars. "Alright, Mheetu. Let's give some cover and bag some soldiers." Hopefully, things would all be over soon.

* * *

**Okay, as you can see, this has taken a serious Beast Wars/Animorphs twist(If you don't know what Animorphs is, check it out on youtube). Please review this one. I'd like your take on the new twist here. Sorry for the long wait, btw.**


	29. From Pride to Beat to Beaten Pride

**Hello, everyone. Spring break has helped me nearly finish up this story. Hope things have been exciting and interesting for all of you. Now comes the next chapter. I will do my best to get the next chapter up ASAP. Until thing, enjoy!**

* * *

The three guards kept watch over the techs. The technicians had gone aboard and examined the equipment. The ship's systems were definitely different from theirs, and it was taking a lot of calibrating of their equipment to synchronize with the ship's. But they were able to achieve their primary goal right away. From what the techs were babbling about, they said that they had made a copy of the ship's artificial intelligence and was transferring it to Facility Three. It would only be a matter of minutes now before the transfer was complete.

The chief guard allowed one of the other two to take a break and sit down by the supply crates the techs had brought in. He and the second guard were just watching the other guards do their work. The rest of the security detail was busy clearing out the rubble that was blocking the docking hangar from the hangar bay. So far, they had gotten the top of the rubble cleared; a Blade could manually fly through the gap, but there was no way a transport could make it through. It would be a while before the rubble would be cleared.

Four Blades were brought through and set down on the docking hangar floor. If there was a need for immediate air support, it would be ready and waiting in the form of four Blades. Most had come in, refueled, and went back out on patrol. The ground forces motor pool was on the other side of the mountain. If ground reinforcements were needed, it would be about ten minutes before they would reach the hangar.

The boredom of the guards' assignment took their toll on their awareness. They didn't notice a lion-like transformer sneaking around toward the guard taking a break and sitting down by the crates.

Danny crept carefully, making sure that he wasn't seen. It was a good start that one of the guards had isolated himself from the rest. He would start with that one. When he was fighting a few of them through hand-to-hand earlier in the day, he had noticed a weakness all of them carried. Despite being robots, their necks were very flexible, and they weren't typical machines. They spoke with vocal tones, not a generic, robot-like tone. That meant they could also breathe. That was a weakness he intended to exploit.

He weaved his way through the piles of crates until he saw the back of the isolated guard. The guard hadn't noticed Danny, and the triumvirate being slowly walked forward, looking down to make sure he wouldn't step on anything that would make noise and give himself away. Once he was a few inches from the guard, Danny grabbed him, covering his mouth so he didn't scream. The guard attempted to, anyways; all that was heard was a muffled scream.

He wrapped his right arm around the guard's neck, and pulled on his right hand with his left. This put the guard in the rear naked choke, a practically impossible move to get out of. The guard panicked and reached for Danny's arm to pull it off, but to no avail. The guard let out a gurgle, flailing his arms around in panic, hoping his fellow guards would notice him; they didn't. Danny held the guard even after he stopped struggling. He wanted to make sure his opponent wasn't playing dead.

Danny let go of the guard and set him down gently. It wasn't that he cared, but he didn't want to be making too much noise…yet. He found the second of the three guards near him, but he was out in the open. This was where he probably would have his presence known to the guards. _I hope Malka and Zee are ready. _

He jumped over the crates and broke out in a run towards the guard. The guard, who wasn't paying any attention to behind him at all, heard fast footsteps and turned around. "Huh?" That was all he managed to say. Danny knocked him to the ground and punched him in the face as hard as he could. With his normal hand, he probably would've broken his knuckles with that punch, but his metal hand from his new form could take it. The guard was now a comatose body, and one less problem to deal with.

As Danny got up and caught his breath, he heard another voice. "Alright, hold it, you!" He turned to see the third guard aiming a rifle at him. "Get your hands up."

Danny looked between him and the distance between the ship. It wasn't that far away from him, about twenty yards away. But with the guard bearing the rifle down at him, it was going to seem like twenty miles. He looked up and was shocked with his own decision. _I'm going for the ship._ Danny planted his feet and sprinted for the boarding ramp.

The guard raised his voice. "Stop! Stop or I'll shoot!" He waited only a second before he opened fire. Shooting at a stationary target with an automatic rifle was one thing. Shooting at a moving target was another thing altogether; all of his shots were massed at Danny, but none of them hit him. Danny dove for the ramp and pulled the lift lever. The ramp rose up and closed behind him. He was back inside his ship. It was only less than a day since he left it, but it felt longer than that.

He smiled. "It's good to be back here. Now to flex those muscles." He walked to the one place he hadn't opened since training on it back home all those years ago: the hatch to the ventral turret for the experimental laser cannons. He had never tested them out before in action, but he did remember one thing from the training. He could only fire the cannons in bursts; if he fired continuously, the cannons would overheat. If that happened, it would take about twenty seconds to cool down. That didn't seem like much, but in a battle, twenty seconds could seem like an eternity.

Danny opened the hatch and climbed down into the gunner's seat. The bubble canopy was much larger than the dorsal turret because the gunner had to sit down and be able to look around at a 180 degree angle on all sides. That was easier for the dorsal gunner because he could stand on his feet; the ventral gunner couldn't. He gripped the controls and turned on the screen. Looking outside, he could see that everything was going to plan.

Malka and Zainabu had opened fire from the prisoner cell bay as soon as he entered the ship. The techs scattered and a few guards went down. But the rest of the guards who were working on removing the rubble, began moving towards Danny's friends, all the while firing at them. A couple focused their attention on the _**Preliator**_.

Danny traversed the turret, a cannon on either side of his seat, and aimed at the soldiers who were firing on his friends. The screen's crosshairs settled on the group, and all systems registered at full power. Danny's thumbs rested on the buttons atop of either stick. "Time to lose the training wheels." He thumbed the buttons and opened fire on them. Blue streaks of light lanced out from the turret and struck out at the soldiers. The effect was a positive; soldiers were getting mowed down by the additional firepower.

Zainabu and Malka took that time to open fire on the soldiers who had focused their attention on the ship. They were out in the open, believing that their buddies had the two in the cell pinned down. The two Preliators made them pay, and killed them with relative ease. In a few minutes, the guards were all dead or dying, and the technicians had all disappeared save for the ones who were unfortunate to get caught in the crossfire. The threat was over.

Once they were certain they were in the clear, both Zainabu and Malka walked over to the _**Preliator**_. Malka brushed his shoulders. "Well, that went exactly as planned."

"As ideal as plans go in our case," Zainabu added in. "Wonder if Tojo and the others are back as well?"

"I hope so, but we haven't heard from them at all."

The ramp opened up to the ship, and both of them watched Danny descend from the ramp. He was still in his robot form, but he now had his M4 slung around his back. In all of their time together, Zainabu always looked at Danny as a warrior ready for battle. Now, his new form, the rifle on his back, and the calm expression, all seemed to underscore that image.

He walked out and looked at the two of them. "You guys ready to get out of here?"

"Yeah, I've had enough of the tourism here," Malka said with a smirk. He examined his armor. "Of course, I don't think the wife and kids are gonna be jumping for joy at my new looks."

Danny nodded. "There's a lot of adjustments everyone will have to make with us, especially our own selves. I'm still trying to get used to a few things, but let's first make sure we get home for the adjustments. Now, we need-"

His statement was drowned out by a loud, rumbling noise that entered through the hangar entrance. They all turned to face the last thing they expected to see. It was a tank. It was battle-damaged, evidenced by the black patches and missing tread covers. Smoke was belching from the rear, a sign of heavy damage. In spite of all the damage it had taken, the tank was still operational, and that was trouble. It would blow the _**Preliator **_to kingdom come, as well as taking the three of them next to the ship with it.

Danny usually could think of a strategy in dealing with this, but he had no weapons to take on a tank. Only a few blasts from the tank would turn his ship into scrap metal, and it had two cannons. _Great, I come back from the dead only to surrender to a tank. God, I know you got a plan here, but if this is all a big mistake, that would be cool with me._ He raised his hands and walked out from underneath the ship.

Malka grabbed him. "What are you doing?"

Even Danny was asking himself the same question. He was actually surrendering to the enemy; usually he would slug it out. But this was a tank he was facing. If he broke out and ran, one tank shell would spread him all over the floor, and most likely would be the same fate for Zainabu and Malka. He turned to look at Malka. "This is a tank we're up against. I don't have any weapons to take on this, I don't even have a plan."

"We can run back into the ship or the cell. Danny, we can-"

"It will blow us up before we even make it six feet, and it can take down the ship in two or three blasts. Just raise your hands and walk towards the tank."

He resumed his walk to the tank. Malka shouted in frustration, but walked towards the tank with his hands up. Zainabu followed suit. The three walked until the turret and machine gun aimed down at them. Whoever was commanding the tank, they weren't taking any chances. Danny couldn't blame them. After what he did, if he were in their shoes, he would play it safe too. Either way, this was over before it even began.

A few moments passed, no one moved. The commander's hatch popped open and out came a transformer. He stepped out a hopped down to the deck of the tank and then jumped down to the ground. Danny frowned. This one was different from the rest. He had very similar design to his and Malka's form. A lion head on his chest plate, armor plating on the limbs, a fin-helmet, this guy had the same configuration as them.

His dark brown armor gave Danny an idea as to who it was. "Please tell me you're Chumvi?"

The figure blinked and smiled. "I had a feeling it was you, Danny. I'm really digging the new look."

"That makes two of us," Danny embraced Chumvi in a hug. "Of course, I have to say, you look good in a tank. I wasn't expecting you to be crewing that beast. Where are the others?"

Chumvi jerked his thumb behind him. "Tupac and Haraka are with me. We found each other and made the deductions as to who is who. Then we stayed hidden until we…tactically acquired some armed transportation." They all shared a laugh as Haraka and Tupac climbed out of the tank. The two came down, but leaned up against the tank and crossed their arms.

Danny broke from Chumvi and beamed at Haraka and Tupac. "How are you guys doing?"

Haraka kept a straight face, but let the corners of his mouth curve upward in a smile. "Great, now that I had the privilege of seeing you surrendering with your hands up and looking like a fool. That was absolutely priceless."

The expression on Danny's face went from a smile to a stern look. "Uh, you know, I think I may have just enough for all the lions. I don't think I'll be able to take the extra weight of a king cheetah."

"I'm lighter than a lion, for crying out loud," Haraka protested.

"Not anymore," Danny said.

"Are you saying I'm fat?"

Danny rolled his eyes. "You're not fat, except-never mind."

"What?" Haraka demanded.

Realizing he said one word too many, Danny tried to wave it off. "Nothing."

"No, tell me. I've been exercising, I've been good with my eating. You just can't stay fit at everything."

Danny just decided to go along with it and make things worse for Haraka. "That's the point. It's scarcely noticeable."

Haraka looked all over his body. "Where? Where is it noticeable?"

Chumvi, Malka, and Zainabu all laughed at Haraka's ridiculous sense of self-consciousness. Still, it left him at the butt of many jokes and probably would for awhile.

That laugh didn't last long, as a salvo of tank blasts landed all over the outsides of the hangar. The six of them hit the ground and looked out to look at the field beyond the hangar. A group of tanks were rounding the far left side of the hangar and were heading their way. Seeing one tank was bad enough. It looked like a whole tank division was coming for them; already the ground was rumbling, and they were still a good distance away.

Danny got up and ran to the hangar door. On the wall, near the edge of the door, was a control panel. If there was a way to quickly shut the hangar door, he was sure it would be there. Another tank blast rattled his teeth as he opened the panel. There were a lot of buttons and two red toggle switches. He pulled the two levers down. Thankfully, the hangar doors were beginning to close shut almost immediately. Relief flooded through him. If there wasn't anything in the box to shut the doors, he probably wouldn't have the time to search the hangar for the correct switch or procedure.

The door finally closed shut, and Danny leaned up against the wall. "Just once, I'd love to see what it's like going into a room in this stronghold _without someone shooting at me_."

All of them smiled but didn't laugh. They needed the battle humor to keep loose, and this was no exception. But, as with all battle humor, it was short-lived. The main objective was to leave. Malka made the first move in that department. "We should get going. I can't imagine those doors will hold up too long against a barrage of tank blasts."

"You're right," Danny said, returning to the serious, commanding person they had all come to know. He looked at Chumvi. "Any word from Tojo and Mheetu?"

"Yes, they found your sniper rifle and helped us out. They're now in that conveyor belt you entered through. They should be inside the place in no time."

"Awesome," Danny said. He didn't show it, but he was surprised and impressed that Mheetu and Tojo figured out how to fire the rifle and reload it. But it didn't matter right at the moment. He had more pressing things to deal with. "Alright, grab the weapons of the falling soldiers. Also, look around for anything that might be useful. I'm going to meet Tojo and Mheetu and bring them up here, then we're gonna-"

The sound of coughing caught his attention. They all turned to look in the direction of the crates. The soldier that Danny punched in the face earlier was starting to come to. All of the Preliators rushed past Danny and surrounded the soldier. Malka, Chumvi, and Zainabu aimed their weapons down at the soldier just as he opened his eyes.

He saw five figures looking down at him, three aiming weapons at his face. He let out a sharp breath and closed his eyes, before speaking in an Australian accent. "If you're gonna kill me, make it quick."

Danny walked up and stopped them. "Not yet." He shouldered his way through the group. "Go to your duties, guys." Everyone broke up the group and left, leaving Danny with the soldier. "Alright, I need to know something. The lionesses that were held in the prison cells are no longer there. Where are they?"

The soldier glared at him. "And what if I told you to go screw yourself?"

The insult burned Danny. Still, he needed to keep control if he wanted to get anywhere. He sighed. "Then, I'll hold you until I do find the answer. After that, I'm gonna let you go." He couldn't believe the words escaped from his mouth. Maybe the new form wasn't the only change he was experiencing.

Now, he had the soldier's attention. The soldier shook his head as if he were hearing things. "Come again? Did you just say I'll be set free?"

"You heard right," Danny pointed at the hangar doors. "Look, pal. All I want is to find the lionesses and leave. That's it. I don't want any secret information or future plans Dasyu has, I just want an answer to that simple question. But either way, I'm gonna let you go."

The soldier was at a loss for words. "Uh, okay." He pointed back to the hangar door. "Dasyu released them after he killed the human. They headed out to what remains of the forest. That's all I know."

Danny nodded. "Alright, thanks. When we leave, I'll let you go. I don't want anyone alerting everyone else to us, you understand." He got up and turned to call Malka over.

"Hey, chum." Danny turned when the soldier called him again. "Why do you want to leave this place? And why are you so concerned about the lionesses we had earlier?"

"Are there any security cameras in here?"

The guard shook his head. "Not that I know of. Why?"

Danny stepped back and said, "Transform." Immediately, he transformed into a golden lion. The soldier was speechless, as were some of the others. They hadn't seen him in his lion form, and it was fear-inducing. Then, Danny gave the next command. "Morph." Then, the soldier was beyond impressed as Danny returned to his human form.

"Y-you…you're the…" The soldier was trying to produce the words, but was having a difficult time.

"Yes, I am the human who attacked the base earlier. But I didn't have the previous two forms the first time around." He squatted down next to the soldier. "To answer your two questions, those lionesses are part of my pride of lions, and I intend to find them and bring them back home. As for why I'm leaving, I'm sick of Dasyu. I'm sick of his plans, his insane ambition. He killed my family years ago, and now he intends to do the same to my home. I'm not about to let that happen. I plan to bring and end to his schemes and live in peace." He waved to his friends. "We're all going to make a stand against Dasyu, to end this once and for all. Afterwards…I hope the fighting will be over."

"I see," the soldier said. "You know, you're the first person I've ever heard or even seen publicly stand against Dasyu. Most follow him because they want to share in his glory of conquest. Some of us only follow him because no one wants to take a stand against him. They just follow Dasyu because they have to, not because they want to."

"I think I met one of them earlier," Danny replied. "But which are you?"

"To be honest, I'm not a favorite of Dasyu. I only do what he tells me to do, and while I enjoy fighting, I'd rather just enjoy life's simple pleasures." He looked at Danny and could see the suspicion in his face. "I'm not expecting you to believe me. You can either take me at my word or not. But I'm telling it to you straight."

Danny thought this over. If the security guard was telling the truth, then there might be others who would join up in the fight against Dasyu. But if he was lying, then he would bring Danny down to his knees, and his fight against Dasyu would be over. Not to mention, his friends would be revealed and most likely killed. He remembered the guy he spared in the reactor room, and he provided information that helped him get to where he needed to go. That was a great help, and it only supported this guard's word. After careful consideration, the trusting part of Danny won out.

He offered his hand to the soldier. "Well, if that's the truth, then join us in our stand."

The soldier looked at him incredulously. "You'll allow me to come with you?"

"We could sure use all the help and intel we can get. You know others that would join us and you probably know some things I don't. It'll be a different life than here, but if we win, then it will be more than worth it." Danny looked around. "I plan to start by blowing this mountain into orbit. Do you want to be around here when that happens?"

It didn't take long before the soldier answered. "Hell, no. Hell, no!" He grabbed his hand and let Danny lifted himself up. "Let's do this."

"I hear that. Sorry for the punch, by the way."

"Don't worry about it," the soldier replied. "And call me Bren."

"Sure thing, Bren. Now, are there any personnel that would join us that are in this facility? I don't want to send them up in flames when this place goes."

Bren shook his head. "There's a few on the fence in this place, but most are at Facility Three. It's the last of Dasyu's drone factories. I can recruit them after this is over."

Danny groaned at hearing there was another drone factory. He had seen enough with the first one. "Just when I thought this was all he had left. Alright, then. Come with me to the reactor room. I've got some friends I need to pick up down there."

"Let's move," Bren said. "We haven't got much time before those hangar doors are busted open. They're thick, but they won't last forever." The two ran to the elevator. Malka and the others gathered weapons and ammo, and began to dig in. They all had jobs to do, and they were going to finish what they started hours ago.

* * *

If small mistakes can cause problems, big mistakes are sure to.

The battle was fought at a standstill back in the Pride Lands. However, it was mostly going in the Outsiders favor. They were gaining ground and controlling the tempo of the fight, moving when they wanted, where they wanted, and how they wanted. Thus far, the outcome was looking very bleak for the Pride Landers. The Outsiders were barely breaking a sweat on their pushes, the Pride Landers were sputtering on theirs.

The lack of urgency had caused offensive attacks and drives to be halted by mental mistakes and gaping holes in the Pride Landers' lines. One lioness with the Outsiders exploited that mistake, and had caused a big problem by nearly killing an occupied Simba. In order to avoid that, Simba was forced to break off his attack with two other lionesses and run back to regroup. That caused the entire group of Pride Landers to fall back with him.

Nala and the others knew their appalling blunder was certainly going to cost them valuable ground. The real question, was whether it would cost them their lives.

Simba's return from the ambush earlier, and a gritty determination in battle, had fired up a listless pride in the start. But soon, Simba had displayed some rust, a combination from the ambush and from the lack of fighting the last few years.

While he was battling a lioness, he didn't realize that she was playing defensively and only circling to an extent. What he didn't realize was that another Outsider was making her way in the rear. She had been able to sneak around and slowly approach him without his knowing about it. Simba faked a swing at the lioness in front of him and then went for a tackle. The rear lioness made her move and jumped on top of him.

She dug into his back with her claws and clamped her jaw down on the back of his neck. Even though his mane helped soften the bite, it still hurt extremely, and his damaged shoulder didn't help. Simba let out a roar of pain and tried to shake her off, but she had a vice grip on him. The other lioness squirmed her way out and turned to face him. Simba was in a bad way, and he was having a hard time overcoming the pain to fight out.

The lioness in front of him sneered. "You just made your last mistake, Simba."

Out of nowhere, Nala speared the lioness on top of Simba. They both landed hard in the mud, but Nala had her pinned thanks to the move she had perfected on Simba when she was a cub. Nala was going to clamp down on the lionesses neck, but decided against and knocked her out clean with a hard blow to the head with her paw.

Simba slowly got up and smiled at the other lioness, who was now growing nervous because her only source of assistance was now unconscious and no Outsider was near her. "Oh, I've got plenty more to make." He crouched low and, like a springboard, sprung up and landed hard on her. He held her down with his weight and, not wanting to kill her, swung at her hard. The blow connected and the lioness was given the same fate as her friend: a trip to unconsciousness. Simba turned to his wife. "Thanks, Nala."

Nala flashed him a smile. "You don't think I'm going to lose my mate today, do you?"

"That makes two of us," Simba replied. "But we need to keep on fighting. Let's go." _Danny, I could really use some help right now._

Even though things were not going the Pride Landers' way, not all was lost. While the pride wasn't able to sustain anything offensively, at first, the pride's defensive stances stood strong. A few of the Outsider's were able to get clear of the line, but were met with another wall of Pride Landers. Xolani and Dembe, though old, had begun to create a specialty of defensive standout efforts. They weren't able to find a rhythm to move the lines, but they were able to keep them from going backwards. The only times they did go backwards, was when the drives to regain ground were halted by the aforementioned problems.

Cheers got louder in the distance. The horde of animals who had come to watch had now joined the Pride Landers in cheering them on and shouting loud enough to disrupt the communication of the Outsiders' attacks. They may not have been able to join the fight physically, but they could provide a mental and psychological boost to the Pride Landers. So far, it was working. Even though the Pride Landers weren't making good pushes to press the Outsiders into a tight spot, they were holding their own ground as well. And as far as Simba was concerned, that was a good thing.

All he wanted to do was to stall off time for Danny to return and end things. He tried the peaceful solution, trying to give Zira a chance to return to the Outlands to let Danny deal directly with her. That failed, and now he was starting to get in a bind. If things got worse, and they probably would, he might have to start fighting to kill.

Winners aren't necessarily the most talented or the largest, but rather the most determined. Simba and the pride knew the Outsiders would continue to pound away at the lines; the Outsiders believed they couldn't be stopped. Once again, the Outsiders drove forward. They usually would just charge straightforward with smash-mouth style. This time, they borrowed a page from Simba's strategy. On this push, it wasn't the their power, but rather their finesse that blindsided Simba's pride.

Vitani led by pulling from one end and moving to the other. A few other lionesses did the same from the other end while the rest plunged straightforward. Once they found the right holes, Vitani and the shifting lionesses plunged straight through the gaps caused by the confusion of the Pride Landers trying to communicate and watch for the shifting lionesses.

The result was disastrous. The Pride Landers mostly shifted to the laterally-motioning lionesses, allowing the ones that charged straight through to begin following Vitani's lead. The confusion caused the Pride Landers to lose ground at a quicker rate than before. Simba realized that this was no longer rust; this was a group of Outsiders outfighting his own pride. Something would have to be done, and soon.

Zira was still lingering in the back, recovering from her hit earlier. Xolani had dealt the biggest blow the Pride Landers could manage by spearing her, and it kept Zira not only out of the fight, but it made it hard for her to communicate strategy in battle. Vitani was doing an excellent job in her place, but her lack of experience was going to show sooner or later.

In the meantime, Zira was trying to regain her strength and watch from an observer's stance. If she could gather information on how the Pride Landers were attacking, she may be able to figure out a way to deliver a knockout punch. Right now, it didn't look like it was going to be needed. Her Outsiders were making good strides, and now, they were looking at simply grinding out the fight in Simba's pride and wearing them down.

Vitani and the Outsiders stalled near the middle of the battlefield, and backed off as the two sides realigned themselves for another charge. She was still not all for this battle, but she wasn't about to just lose it and her life for her wishful thinking. She huddled the Outsiders together as the Pride Landers did likewise.

"Alright, we've got them on their heels with the lateral shifting. They'll probably be expecting us to do the same thing, and they'll space out their lines to compensate. This time, we're going to plunge straight forward. No communicating, no shifting, just an all-out plunge into their lines. Outside lionesses, guard our flanks to make sure they don't completely envelope us."

One of the lionesses objected. "No, let's keep attacking laterally. It's been doing us wonders and they're beginning to wear out. Let's stick with it. Don't change the battle plan."

Vitani held her paw up. "I know that. It has been working, but we need to end this now. If we continue, we'll start to wear out and that could give them an opportunity to rest and stretch this out. We plunge straight through."

They broke up and faced the Pride Landers again. Both sides braced themselves for the resumption of the battle. The crowd cheered loudly in an effort to motivate their pride and bog down their enemies. Claws were dug in and the two sides crouched low, and waited for the other side to make the first move.

The hair trigger was pulled as one Outsider lioness broke from the lines and began to move laterally. Vitani was about to boil with anger until she realized what the lioness was doing. All of the Pride Landers had their peripheral attention on the moving lioness, a critical distraction on the Outsiders' part and mistake on their part.

"Now!" Vitani shouted.

The Outsiders plunged straight through, ripping the gaps of the Pride Landers' lines wide open. The Pride Landers were caught off guard, and the first one to get caught in the worst of it was Dembe. She tried to hold her ground, but the rush was too much. An Outsider tackled her and went for the kill, sinking her teeth into the old lioness' neck. Dembe was strangulated to death, and some of the lionesses of Simba's shouted in pain and agony at the loss of one of their leaders among commoners.

The move took the life right out of the Pride Landers. They were not prepared for a bull rush, and Dembe paid the ultimate price for it. Shortly after the rush, the Outsiders broke their enemies hearts and wills again, when they made another headlong rush. This time, it almost ended the battle entirely.

Vitani found an open hole and ran through. She found Simba fighting off a lioness. She could see that he was in great pain, as his movement was very ginger and his attacks were an outside indication of desperation. He was trying to go for quick knockouts and kills, and was failing nine times out of ten. He never saw Vitani, and that was an advantage she took quickly. She charged him, slipping past any lioness who came close to her; she was zeroed in on the king.

Simba realized too late that a lioness was charging him. As he turned to try to face Vitani, the lioness tackled him hard into the ground. The pain came full circle, and he let out a roar of pain. His neck was now exposed to Vitani, and all it would take was one, strangulating bite.

She bared her teeth. "Where's Danny when you need him, Simba?" Her taunt was returned with a glare, but she seemed unconcerned. "Glare all you want, but this battle is over." She was about to sink her teeth into his neck, but a shout caused her to stop, as well as the others from their fighting.

"Cessation!"

Vitani turned in the direction of the voice. She knew whose it was: Nala's. The queen walked to her. Vitani's frustration and anger was at the boiling point. "What did you say, Nala?"

Nala's expression was full of fear for the potential loss of her mate, but her voice remained stern. "As queen of the Pride Lands, I call for a cessation of battle, a respite."

By royal code, in a battle for a takeover, either side was granted only one period of cessation to rest. It was the only time a cessation could be used. The period would give both sides a chance to regroup, rest, and rethink their strategy. If a party called cessation a second time, it would be ignored. The problem with this, was that the people of the lands did not respect a party that called for cessation, much less like them. The animals that had attended had heard this, and were stunned.

Vitani laughed. "You don't think I'm going to just obey this cessation, do you? All I have to do is to bite and crush your king's windpipe, and this battle will be over."

"Not so fast," a male voice said. That voice caused Vitani to cringe. She didn't want to directly conflict with Tanabi, but now that he had spoken, she had to. Tanabi came up to her. "First off, if you do kill my father, then I will assume the reign as king. The battle will not be over." Tanabi knew that he wasn't the next in line, despite being the firstborn. Because he was thought dead, Kiara received the blessing. But he wasn't going to let his younger sister be the next primary target to be killed.

"There's also another problem, Vitani," Nala said, resuming her side of the talk. "If you ignore this cessation, then the people of the Pride Lands will be allowed to break their code of staying out of the fight. They will be able to join in this battle, and who do you think they will side with?"

Vitani realized the gravity of the situation. If she killed Simba, then the people would join in and cause even more complications for her. The Outsiders could handle the Pride Landers, but they wouldn't be able to handle them _and _the people at the same time. Their deaths would be swift and their efforts to win and lives lost would be in vain. Not to mention that they would then have to target and kill Tanabi, and then Kiara. Kiara, she could handle killing, but not Tanabi. She wasn't sure what her feelings were for him, but they were not feelings of hatred.

She still had her own chance to call for cessation, so this would give the Outsiders some rest. She didn't like it any more than Zira would, who was able to listen to what was going on. Vitani never heard anything from Zira, an indication that it would have to be obeyed if they wanted to achieve victory. If Zira didn't care for the code, she would've shouted from the rear of the lines to keep fighting.

Vitani stepped off of Simba. "Fine, you have your cessation. But it cannot last forever, so don't take too long. Otherwise, we will attack again regardless." She headed back for Zira, with the Outsiders following behind her. Even though the Outsiders' drive came to a sudden halt, they took a lot of energy out of the Pride Landers, who were clearly fatigued.

The Pride Landers had lost Dembe, and it got worse for them. Simba was badly shaken up, and was limping back to the rear of the lines under support from two lionesses. His injuries had taken their toll on him, and it looked like he was going to be unable to come back and engineer a last second miracle. It was unbelievable, how an advantage in size and strength seemed to vanish in about ninety minutes for the Pride Landers.

* * *

Tojo and Mheetu came into the reactor room. They had covered Chumvi and the others until they made it to the hangar. Once they did make it, both of them took the conveyor belt and rode in the same way Danny did earlier. And like Danny, their night vision was useless in the pitch black. They had turned it off because it did them little good, but were ready to activate it when any ambient light showed.

Tojo and Mheetu decided to converse to speed up the time. Tojo was saying, "So the first thing Kula and I do is spend some quality time with each other. After all this, we need a nice, long break."

"I second that," Mheetu said. "I think it's about time Shani and I had some kids of our own. Wouldn't you say?"

"Yeah, you and Chumvi are really behind on things as far as family are concerned. You should make that a priority when we get back home. Do you think she wants kids?"

"What lioness _doesn't _want kids?" Mheetu asked in a biting, humorous manner. "Which reminds me, what do you plan to do with your children?

The pain in Tojo's face showed for a brief second before disappearing. He was thankful that Mheetu couldn't see the pain. It was bad enough that they had to let Zira steal them from their lives, it was worse that Kovu, who had joined the pride days ago, never acknowledged Tojo and Kula as his parents. Tojo shook his head. "When I get back, I'm going to try to spend time with Kovu and try to find Vitani and convince her otherwise."

He paused for a moment, because his voice was starting to become uneven. It wasn't like Tojo to show this part of himself to anyone but Kula. However, this was a touchy subject for him. "Mheetu, you know that I've always had that playboy attitude, but that doesn't mean I can't become a good father. The one thing I pray you never have to experience is to have your only children taken from you and brainwashed into thinking you're their enemy."

Mheetu didn't know what to say, mainly because he wasn't a father yet. So he just said, "Okay."

They came into the room and realized they would not need the night vision. The place was brightly lit up, and they had to shield their eyes to adjust to the sudden change in illumination. Both hopped off the conveyor belt and onto the platform next to it. As they looked around, aside from the catwalks and a few consoles, the entire place looked like a warehouse full of large, cylindrical tanks lined up in long columns.

"What do you suppose this room is?" Tojo asked.

Mheetu, who was loading a fresh magazine into the well of the rifle, shrugged. "Who knows? But it looks important if it's in _this_ big a room."

"Yeah, well, let's find out how to get to the others."

They walked up to the main platform. As they walked up, they noticed a few shells were lying on the ground near one of the main consoles. A firefight had occurred in here, and both of them were certain who was behind it. It was rather typical of Danny's handiwork, going guns blazing and fighting his way to a certain point. Thankfully, he wasn't always like that, which was probably why the people of the Pride Lands began to respect him over the years.

Tojo picked up one of the shells. "You think someone we know got a little popular in this room, Mheetu?"

"Yeah, that's just how he is," Mheetu responded. "Always wanting to make his presence known."

Footsteps approached them, and a familiar voice spoke as they turned around to face the person. "Well, if you think that's popularity, you should see the hangar. I made quite the grand entrance." Danny walked out from the dim hallway and into the light. "But let's save the popularity tally for another time. I just want to get out of here, find the lionesses, and go home."

"Where are they?" Mheetu asked, his voice full of concern.

"I was told that Dasyu let them go and they headed off in a rough estimated direction of the Pride Lands. Of course, they'll have no chance of finding home again unless we find them and get out of here."

"You don't have to tell me twice."

Tojo frowned. "Uh, who told you about the lionesses?"

Danny turned around and pointed at a shadowed figure who stepped out into the light. "Him." He turned around and saw Mheetu lift the rifle up at Bren, who seemed unconcerned about the threat. Danny waved Mheetu down. "Don't shoot. He's one of us now."

That didn't make the two Preliators' moods any bit. Tojo spoke while Mheetu kept the m107 trained on Bren. "One of us? Danny, he's one of Dasyu's men! One of the many who had killed us trying to save our pride members. Why should we trust this guy?"

"Because I've seen firsthand that not everyone here is a die-hard, loyal fanatic to Dasyu. Some of them are actually sick to death of following him, but haven't had any strong leadership to take a stand against Dasyu." Danny pointed at Bren again. "Bren, here, is one of those people. There was another one I spared earlier in this very room, and he offered me information on how to get to the hangar and what to do to avoid detection. Of course, he couldn't prevent the huge horde of troops massing in the hangar, but who could?"

Mheetu stared at Bren incredulously. "So we're supposed to just up and trust this guy? How do we know he's not just playing spy to rip us apart from the inside out?"

"I second that," Tojo added in. "I don't like this one bit, having him here and saying that he's coming on to our side."

Bren stepped forward. "You have nothing to fear from me."

That caused Tojo to snap. "You think I'm afraid of you! I'll show you who has to fear who." He ran towards Bren, ready to throw a swing at him, but was stopped by Danny. "What are you doing?"

Danny looked him square in the eyes. "You may not like it, and it will take a while to trust each other. But he is with us," he pushed Tojo back. "Besides, if he was still in cahoots with Dasyu, he wouldn't give us access to some explosives to blow this place. Isn't that right, Bren?"

"I can do even better," he said. "I also have access to the weapons armories, one of which is located on this level. We passed it back at the elevator car."

All of them were surprised to hear this, even Danny. A security guard with access to a gold mine of weapons and explosives was just the advantage they needed. With word of another facility Dasyu possessed, the weapons would be a great help to them in their fight against their new enemy. Danny recovered from his stupor and looked at the other two. "So, you guys still have your arguments against Bren?"

Mheetu's expression lightened. "He's good…for now."

"I'll give him leniency right now, since this advantage he's giving us is a start," Tojo said, his distrust evident in his tone. "But I still have my reservations on him." He started walking in the direction of the hall. "Let's go." Mheetu fell in step behind Tojo and walked down the hallway.

Danny turned and gave a sheepish smile at Bren. "Sorry things couldn't have been smoother for you, man."

Bren shook his head. "It's alright. I wasn't exactly expecting them to welcome me with open arms. It's going to be a rough adjustment for all of us." He turned around. "But we're wasting time. It's not a proper escape attempt if we don't actually escape from here." He smirked and turned back at Danny. "I'd also hate to miss the fireworks show from this place."

"I hear that," Danny replied.

* * *

The Pride Landers were in a bad situation, and everyone not named an Outsider had one thing on their mind. Could they recapture this battle? Or would it be an absolute nightmare?

A period of cessation was given, and it was in the nick of time. Both sides were tiring, but the Outsiders had the edge in urgency and determination. The Pride Landers, on the other hand, were paying the price for listlessness and rust. They were hoping that this rest would give them the opportunity to regroup and regain the upper hand. As the cessation came to a close, everyone wanted to see who would lead the Pride Landers back into the battle. It took few moments before everyone could see who it was.

It was Simba.

He had a little bit of a limp, but it was Simba who was leading them back. As he joined the ranks, the pride could not believe that he was being booed and jeered by the some of the crowd of people who had been supporting him less than two hours ago. For the pride it was shocking; for Simba, it was downright disheartening. But he and the pride knew that he could change the boos to cheers once again. Still, it was another obstacle to an already difficult task to overcome.

However, as the battle resumed, things became apparent from the start. Simba may have been game, but with two bum hind legs and the rest of his injuries, he didn't have a chance.

The problem he had was that he couldn't get his feet under him to set and put any force into his swings and attacks. His swings weren't even close to any lioness that challenged him, and it was putting his pride in a bleaker and bleaker situation. If no one stepped up soon, this battle would be a heartbreaking loss.

Now, he was in a situation where they were about to either press forward or run out of the depression. This depression was the last line before having to do battle in the gorge, and that would all but seal the fate of the Pride Landers. This was a situation that had not only the battle hanging on the balance, but also their lives.

Simba and the others set up in a line. Kovu and Tanabi were on either side of him, making sure that no one would get to him easily. Kiara and Nala flanked the outsides, with Xolani helping Kiara on her side. But as they ran forward in their attack, the Outsiders shot for the gaps and easily broke the lines. One lioness was lucky enough to jump and grab hold of Simba long enough to drag him to the ground. Tanabi grabbed her by the scruff of the neck and sent her sliding a few feet, but the damage was done.

The lines were broken yet again, and the Pride Landers had to run out of the depression, and ran down into the gorge. Simba was in obvious pain as he ran, and it reflected on the pride. Their strongest lion was not going to be able to fight very well, if at all. The Pride Landers were falling apart. Their only hope was for a miracle.

On the other side of the lines, Zira was watching everything with delight. She was feeling very well after the huge hit Xolani had dealt to her. The battle was going in her favor, and she couldn't help but feel the glory of victory knocking at her doorstep, so to speak. Soon, she would take the reigns of the Pride Lands back and lead the kingdom back to a great, glorious future.

She ran to where the Outsiders were grouping at the top of the gorge slope. Vitani was about to order them down after the stragglers, but Zira stopped them. "Hold your positions, everyone!"

One of the lionesses looked at Zira as if she had gone mad. "But they're sitting ducks, Zira. We can end this now while they're at their weakest."

The leader of the Outsiders nodded. "I agree, but let's take a rest. It doesn't count as a period of cessation, unless they move to attack. Once everyone feels energetic enough, we'll move into position. Then, we'll end this once and for all."

Even though they were all eager to fight now, they consented and agreed to rest for a few minutes. In a few minutes, all of them would rush down and end the lives of every single Pride Lander. The lionesses all spread out to cover the slope and cut off the main avenue of escape. This rest would also give the Pride Landers some time to rest, but they seemed unconcerned. To them, this was the last breath for their enemies; they were going to take it from Simba and his pride.

Down at the gorge, the mood and looks of the Pride Landers were plain to read. They didn't just seem to lose the battle, they seemed to have lost their way. No longer did they look to be a pride to beat. Instead, they looked like a beaten pride.

Simba noticed the Outsiders spreading out, readying themselves for another attack. But what was going through his mind was something else: a story. A story that was told to him when he was a cub by Danny, one he remembered vividly. He couldn't even believe he was thinking about this story, but it just seemed to relate to the battle in terms of the mood and outlook. It was the Wizard of Oz. The one part that was going through his mind was when the Wicked Witch of the West turned over the hourglass and told Dorothy that was how much time she had left to live. The next thing he could remember was the part in the story when the monkeys were flying into the castle, and she had no chance.

The possibility of a comeback was growing slim, but unlike Dorothy, this wasn't a dream the Pride Landers could wake up from. Their nightmare was very real.

* * *

**Hope this was a better description of the battle than in the movie. Stay tuned.**


	30. Problem is my Middle Name

**Hey, everyone. I'm sure you all know the drill by now. College, work, and military have taken up most of my time, but I wasn't going to leave the month of April without sending a chapter. I will have another chapter within another week. Yes, another week, not another month. Enjoy the chapter and have a Happy Easter!**

* * *

Commander Lash thought things were over. After the human was killed, the threat was gone and now he had to simply focus on fixing the damage from the battle. The human was a lot more cunning than he had thought, and a lot more than just a nuisance. Nuisances don't do the kind of damage and cause the amount of problems he had caused. Lash had lost his direct commander above him as well as one of his peers. What's worse, two Generals were lost, one of which hurt Lash badly.

Boronas was an excellent air commander. He knew how to coordinate air assaults and timed it perfectly for the ground forces to make their move. His war record had shown it in past years from previous planetary encounters. But all of that came undone by one, lowly human. He had outsmarted the General and no one had heard from him since, presumably dead.

But losing Striker hurt Lash the most out of the two Generals. Striker was not only an excellent fighter and leader, but he was also Lash's personal hand-to-hand combat instructor. All of the sparring and training would no longer happen, at least not under Striker. Lash had looked up to Striker more than any other General, and could've been Dasyu's successor in time. The human was fortunate Dasyu made short work of him, because Lash would've made his death extremely slow and painful.

However, Lash now had another problem. Someone had taken control of one of the Titan tanks and began blasting at anything it could find. Lash had been told it was Dune Rat Four, and had issued orders to take it out. That would be very difficult with the forces he had now. Dune Rat One and Dune Rat Four were the only Titan tanks in the area, and Four made One its first kill. Titan tanks were very hard to destroy, and he had ordered the ground motor pool to scramble any available Titan and Trojan tanks and assist.

To make matters worse, someone else had been shooting behind them, and from the rate of fire, it was most likely a sniper. Before he could send anyone to deal with the sniper, Dune Rat Four had made it into the hangar and it was closed shortly after. More reports flooded in, with people saying they were attacked inside by yet another group of transformers and the hangar had been sealed off from the rest of the stronghold.

Lash was pretty sure it was a group of Specters, but the reports weren't indicating it. But one thing rang in Lash's mind: if they weren't Specters, who were they? He was positive that wasn't the case, but he had to consider it. He was hoping it was just a bunch of renegade or disgruntled Specters who had had enough and decided to put actions to words.

As he and the remaining forces grouped around the hangar door, a lieutenant ran over to him. "Commander Lash, sir."

The commander looked up from the truck he was sitting in. "What is it, Deeley?"

Deeley pointed to the bend of the stronghold. "The entire Titan division is on its way around the base. They'll be here in ten minutes. Additional infantry is also being brought up."

"What about the Trojans? Their armor piercing firepower is what we need to quickly breach the hangar doors."

The junior officer hesitated. "Uh, they say they're having some mechanical trouble with a few of the Trojan tanks. It'll be some time before they're here."

Lash threw down his clipboard he was holding. "Then send what Trojans we have available _now_! Someone is in the main hangar with the human's ship. If they decide to blow it, then our drone factories may not get the artificial intelligence they need to function properly. Tell them to send what Trojans, that are green across the board, to this location, Lieutenant."

Deeley stiffened at the reprimand and saluted. "Yes, sir." Then he was off to run over to the makeshift radio station.

Grabbing his personal radio, Lash pressed the switch and spoke into the transmitter. "This is Commander Lash. All tanks and heavy weapons, open fire on the hangar doors."

A voice came back. "But sir, what if the rock around the doors buckle and collapse the entrance?"

"Then we'll send a cleanup crew. Fire on the doors now! They take a lot of punishment, and we need to get inside now." He pulled the radio from his mouth and set it on the dashboard of the truck.

The commander placed a hand over his head. He needed to take care of this new enemy now, then do damage control for the next week. After everything was done, he was going to find three sparring drones and beat the gears out of each of them. This was just simply not his day.

* * *

Bren guided Danny, Tojo, and Mheetu back down the corridor to the weapons armory. Weapons would be something they would need in the fight against Dasyu, and having a guard who knew the combinations was a major plus. Mheetu remained alert, but he would occasionally train his rifle on Bren for a few minutes. He and Tojo still didn't trust Bren entirely, so they weren't about to let their guard down.

Danny had given Tojo a pistol in order to have another gun. He wasn't about to give Bren one; he didn't fully trust him either. But he trusted him more than Mheetu or Tojo did. Danny kept his M4 at the low ready in the event that a welcoming committee would be waiting for them in the elevator.

Bren stopped in front of the last door before the elevator car. "It's this one."

"It better be," Mheetu said under his breath.

The guard turned around. "Do you want to go first or should I?"

"Why don't you go first?" Tojo asked. "You can be our shield if anyone is waiting for us in there."

"Lock it down, all of you," Danny said. "I'm not asking you to be the best of friends, but I am asking that you cooperate." He turned to Bren. "You go first."

Bren nodded and turned to the key-code console next to the door. After pushing a few buttons, the door opened and the lights turned on. Bren walked in and Danny followed. Tojo and Mheetu came in, but watched the doors for anyone who came by. As Danny looked around, his eyes lit up like silver dollars.

In racks, were hundreds of a weapons. Danny spotted M4's, M240's, M249 squad automatic weapons, and M16's. There were also m203 grenade launchers attached to a few of the rifles, and Danny spotted a few m107's. Further in the back were cleaning kits, ammunition crates, and small booklets, which were most likely the maintenance manuals for the weapons. There were also various weapons that were manufactured in other countries, but there was one weapon that caught Danny's attention the most.

The M60. The heavy weapon that was given to him by his father was an outdated weapon, but apparently Dasyu's forces had a use for it. Danny knew there would be boxes of ammunition, and that meant that he could find and reuse the weapon again. Danny's eyes lit up like silver dollars. He turned to Bren. "This is a gold mine in here. But where did you get these weapons from? Most of these are weapons from the original home that I came from."

Bren shrugged. "I can't tell you that. Only the Generals and Dasyu himself know that sort of information. Some of us believe that they contacted Black Market weapons dealers, some say they received schematics and had them built at the first drone facility before transporting them elsewhere. The weapons were given to us and we used them. Other than that, I don't know."

It wasn't the answer he was hoping for, but Danny let it go. "Alright, but how do we get these racks aboard the ship?"

Danny watched Bren walk over and grab the rack by the side. He realized as Bren was moving it that the racks had wheels on the bottom of them. Bren smirked at Danny. "Well, I was planning on wheeling them out and bringing them up the elevator, but if you want to carry them…"

"Smart aleck," Danny responded. "Alright, we'll grab a rack of M4's with the 203 launchers, M240's, AK-47's, m107's, and M249's. It's going to take multiple trips, but we can fit all of it in. We'll grab ammunition, kits, and manuals as well."

"I know how to clean and fire these weapons," Bren said.

"Yeah, but we don't," Tojo retorted. "Can we go now? I'd like to go home."

"My thoughts exactly," Danny said. "Let's grab a rack of weapons each and start rolling."

* * *

It took about half an hour to get all of the weapons out of the armory, but Danny got the weapons and ammunition he would need to fight Dasyu. The hangar doors were taking a tremendous pounding from the barrage outside, and they wouldn't hold for much longer. During the process of taking the weapons, Danny had gone back to the floor where he had dropped his M60. No one had picked it up, and he was grateful. It was one of the few gifts from his dad that Danny brought with him when he landed here, and he didn't want to part with it if he didn't have to.

Now, everyone was inside the _**Preliator**_ and wanting to leave. Danny walked up with his M60 and set it down. "Is everyone ready to head home?"

Tupac pumped a fist in the air. "Let's get out of here."

"I'm homesick already," Haraka said.

Zainabu was the only one who was not cheering. "What about the people shooting at the hangar? I mean, I know this ship is fast, but can it get by without getting shot?"

That was a good question, and Danny had to think very hard at. But when he noticed a familiar remote, an idea struck him. The remote was the one that activated the ship's Iron Curtain system, and it paved the way for his exit strategy. He turned to the newest member of the team. "Bren, do you have access to any explosives?"

"There's some back down in the armory."

"Great! Can some be detonated from a long distance?"

"Yeah, why?"

Danny pointed at in the direction of the enemy bombarding them. "We're going to let them come in here." At everyone's stunned looks, he explained himself. "Bren, I need you and Chumvi to grab what you can and come back up here. Plant charges along the fringes of the hangar doors and the ground next to it, and when they come in, we trigger the explosives once they're close. The blast should mostly be directed outwards."

After a few moments, everyone started getting the grasp of the plan. They all approved of the idea just by the nodding and the smirks on their expressions. The only one who was hesitant was Chumvi. "What about us? I can't imagine this ship isn't going to take any damage from the blast."

"We'll be hovering near the hangar ceiling. I'll have the Iron Curtain system on in order to avoid being spotted. Once the explosives are detonated, we take off. Any survivors won't be able to see us, but they'll definitely hear the sound of the ship's engines."

That seemed to set Chumvi at ease. "Sounds good."

"Why do I feel an ulterior plan to this?" Bren asked.

Danny smirked. "Zee and I are going down to the reactor room and rig some charges on the reactors. I would normally detonate the ones I set earlier, but Dasyu took my remote for the charges. Once we're far enough, I'll blow the charges, and we should be looking at a nice, big mushroom cloud."

"What about the radiation?" Bren asked again.

"The heat from the blast should incinerate all of the nuclear materials, alleviating any radiation concerns," Danny responded. "Zee, Bren, Chumvi, let's get going." Danny turned to the rest of the Preliators. "The rest of you, arm yourselves and guard the ship." He didn't wait for a response and ran out of the _**Preliator**_. Zainabu, Bren, and Chumvi followed suit and headed for the elevator. Once everyone was aboard, he set the car to head down five floors.

Chumvi cracked his knuckles. "So, we're gonna blow the entrance of the hangar, blast out of here, and send this place high in the sky?"

"That's about it," Danny said.

"Sounds too easy to me."

Danny returned a confident smile. "Then it's about time we got something too easy for us." He turned to their newest ally. "Bren, how much in terms of explosives do you think we can get wired up, and how fast?"

Bren frowned. "This could take about ten minutes. They're all remote detonation charges so it won't be as long as wire charges. Our remotes have a signal range of thirty miles; it will allow us to destroy this place from a safe distance. We can get about fifty sets of charges in a short amount of time."

"It'll have to do," Danny said as the elevator car came to a stop. "Alright, let's get back into the armory and grab what we can. The sooner we get out, the sooner I can have a decent night's sleep."

They ran into the weapons storeroom and followed Bren to the end of the hallway. Sure enough, there were a few crates underneath a tarp covering. Bren whipped it off and pointed to the left crate. "Here's where the charges are. The detonators are by the door."

Danny pulled out one of the charges. They were medium sized cylinders with a flat base and a built-in timer. One thing Danny noticed from picking it up was that it was heavy for its size, and even though he wasn't a demolitions expert, heavy was a good thing. Just from the weight, fifty individual charges would be enough to blow away the forces that were bombarding the hangar doors. He grabbed five charges of explosives. "Zee, grab one of the detonators."

"Got it," Zainabu said, running to the door and grabbing the remote.

Hefting the explosives, Danny turned to Chumvi. "Help out Bren and get these explosives planted along the entrance of the hangar. Zee and I will-"

He stopped mid-sentence as he looked behind Bren. There was another tarpaulin covering another object, but it definitely wasn't a crate. It was longer, more narrow. Danny walked past Bren and towards the crate. He didn't know what it was, but he was going to find out. He whipped the cover off, and Danny's face brightened. The steering vanes, the narrow body, the container on the back end; it was a speeder bike. Danny lost his when he used it to land on top of the ship being flown by the Hyena Trio. He was going to need another one, and this one was his for the taking.

He turned to Bren. "Fit what charges you can into the storage container for this speeder and bring it up to the hangar." He jerked a thumb at the bike. "We're taking this with us."

Bren looked behind Danny, towards the bike, and back at him. He frowned. "If we plan on leaving _and_ saving your lionesses, do you think we have the room, let alone the weight to get the ship off the ground with this bike?"

"I've done it before, Bren. Now get what you can up there as well as this bike. I lost my old one earlier and I need a new one."

Bren shrugged. "Fine, whatever. Just let us know if you need us."

Danny shook his head. "Don't think I will. This should only take a few minutes." He headed for Zainabu and left the room to head down the hallway. Within sixty seconds, they were back in the reactor room. Danny couldn't have been more thankful that they hadn't encountered anybody yet, especially in the reactor room. But he knew that someone outside was alerting more troops. He had to act fast. Danny turned and faced Zainabu, handing her two charges. "Take these and place them on two separate reactors. I'll take three others and place them. Set the selector switch to remote and whatever you do, don't press the red button or the detonator."

Zainabu held out the detonator. "No…really? Because I was planning to press it and find out what it can do." Her sarcastic tone made Danny smile, and she spoke when she saw him shake his head. "Your sense of humor has rubbed off on me."

"The gift that keeps on giving," Danny replied. "Let's do this thing and go home." He turned to the three reactors on the far side. Zainabu's hand grabbing his arm stopped him. "What's wrong?"

"I was just curious. Why didn't you have Bren help you with this? Or Chumvi?" She asked.

Danny placed both hands on her shoulders. "Because I wanted to take a moment for this," he said, and kissed her. Again, he was nearly swept away by the sweetness of her kiss. He heard her moan for the second time, and knew he was going to enjoy hearing that every time he kissed her. He was disappointed at having to break the kiss, and the expression on Zainabu's face also indicated disappointment, but her eyes suggested she was in a trance. Danny smiled. "I wouldn't exactly feel the same way with Bren or Chumvi."

Zainabu laughed. "Okay, Mr. Macho. I think we've got some charges to place."

"I hear that," Danny replied. They split and went to place their charges.

* * *

Danny and Zainabu planted their charges and headed back up the elevator car. When they reached the top, the first thing they noticed was the tank blasts pounding the doors, or lack thereof. Nothing was hitting the doors, but they still remained shut. Chumvi, Bren, Tupac, and Malka were setting the charges all along the entrance to the hangar, while Tojo and Mheetu were watching all around for anything suspicious. The speeder bike was suspended next to the ramp, but wasn't put into the ship yet.

Danny looked at Zainabu. "Get Tojo and Mheetu to help you get the bike into the ship. I'm going to help out Bren and find out why there's no tank blasts."

"Alright, Danny."

As Zainabu trotted over to the speeder, Danny headed towards Bren. He looked like he was about done, as were the other three. As he got closer, he heard voices on the other side of the hangar doors. That would explain why there were no tank blasts, but it didn't fully explain why there were people on the other side, talking.

He bent down next to Bren and whispered so that the voices on the other side wouldn't be able to hear them. "You good here, Bren?"

The soldier nodded, looking a little somber. "Yeah, we're just setting up the last of the charges. Afterwards, we will be ready to leave. We should go during the fade of the blast…once that's clear…we'll be able to…" Bren dropped his head.

Danny placed a hand on his shoulder. "You alright, Bren?"

Bren shook his head slowly. "I can't believe I'm doing this. I mean, I know I'm sick of Dasyu, but I can't believe I'm actually about to blow the place I called home for so long. I don't feel so good."

This was something that Danny wasn't so familiar with, and it hurt to be of little use to someone. He patted Bren on the back. "The first step is always the hardest. It's an adjustment period, and we all have something new to adjust to now. It'll pass with time, Bren."

"I appreciate it, Dan." Bren looked back up at him. "I'm not gonna fit in very well with some of your friends, though."

Danny knew Bren was talking about Tojo and Mheetu in particular. The others didn't seem to have a problem with Bren on their side, but they might've been masking their feelings better than Tojo and Mheetu. The latter two had clearly shown their feelings toward him, and were very uneasy with him on their side. But Danny could understand their feelings because Bren could potentially be a mole insert, but he believed Bren when he said he wanted nothing more with Dasyu. "Like I said, it's gonna be an adjustment for all of us."

Bren nodded. He looked up and down the entrance. "We're good to go. What do you say we check out of the hotel?"

"That sounds good. It ain't exactly the Plaza Hotel here," Danny said. "Let's get out of this place."

The soldier waved a hand up at Danny. "I'm going to stay behind." He continued speaking as Danny looked at him as though he lost his mind. "It's been awhile since I've flown one, but I think I can pilot one of those Blades sitting over there."

"Bren, we're not gonna have time to wait for you to remember how to start it up and fly it," Danny said. "The best thing right now is to leave with us."

"You might need some support, and the vehicle might come in handy if you plan on taking Dasyu with a small group such as this. Even with those I can recruit, we're going to need every vehicle we can get." He placed his hand out. "Trust me on this."

Danny had a feeling that nothing was going to move Bren from this idea, and shook his hand. "Alright, but make sure you do it quickly. I'll try to keep them off of you as best as I can." As Chumvi, Malka, and Tupac walked to them, Danny waved toward the _**Preliator**_. "It's time to blow the chicken coup, boys."

* * *

Lash waited impatiently. After about ten minutes of pounding the hangar doors, it was about time for a different strategy. He ordered the vehicles to close in on the hangar and sent some techs and soldiers to hardwire the systems to open the door and bypass the inside control. That way, whoever was inside wouldn't be able to close the door when it started opening.

However, the time was the main issue. Lash was not particularly patient for stupid stuff, and this was no exception. He grabbed his radio and hopped out of his command truck. "Okay, what in the world is taking so long to open that damned door?"

A voice came back. "Sorry, sir. We're just about there. In a few minutes, we'll be able to open the door."

Lash glared. "Three minutes is too long, four minutes and you'll be looking at floor scrubbing with a sponge for the rest of your career. Do you read me?"

A long moment before the dull reply came back. "Roger that, sir." Another pause before the voice returned over Lash's radio. "Do you want the hangar to open to normal way or would you rather prefer have the doors do a fast slide?"

The Commander hesitated. A fast slide rig would mean the doors would open up extremely fast, about four to five seconds elated time. The normal way would take about twenty seconds to completely open up. However, the drawback to a fast slide was the counterweights and the gears of the doors could either jam or altogether snap. Lash brought his radio up. "No, negative. Do it the normal way, we just want to take care of those rogues who are in there. It's not worth damaging the hangar mechanisms."

"Roger that, Commander."

Lash hung his head. "The things I have to deal with for a promotion. Headaches, snipers trying to blow my head off, and now techs who don't understand the phrase 'time management'."

The lieutenant who had reported to him earlier came back. He looked nervous, but this time, it didn't look to be because of Lash's intimidating glare. "Commander, General Xev is on channel 7. Lord Dasyu wants to get a status report."

The headache Lash had just got even more compounded. _Dasyu, your timing is terrible. _He nodded and waved the junior officer off. "Thank you, Lieutenant. You are dismissed." As the soldier left Lash, the Commander brought his radio up. After switching the channels, he spoke into it. "Yes, this is Commander Lash, General."

The female General's voice was mild, but dry. "Lash, we've been getting sketchy alert reports from the stronghold. Would you care to fill me in?"

"They're just as sketchy back here as it is for you, ma'am. Someone has opened fire both inside the hangar and out here in the fields. They were sporadic, but they managed to commandeer a Titan and blow away most of our ground forces. We're not sure who they are, but based on what I've been told, they're some of ours."

The heat in the General's voice rose. "Been told! I suggest you find out for sure, _Commander_. I have Dasyu wanting answers and he wants them ASAP."

"Yes, ma'am. Lash out." Lash killed the channel and brought it back to his original channel. He wanted to slam his radio on the ground, but knew that wasn't going to ease his stress. He decided to get back to the techs. "What's the status on the doors?"

A moment's delay before he heard, "We're…just about…got it! We're good, sir. Opening the doors in thirty seconds."

"About bloody time. All soldiers, you're orders are to take prisoners. However, if things get desperate, you are authorized to kill any aggressive-"

He stopped, and didn't notice that all talking ceased among the commo channels. A new noise was entering everyone's audio receivers, and it was rising into a high-pitched whine. All of the soldiers looked confused. Whatever the new sound was, it was coming from inside the hangar, and it was continually rising higher and higher. Lash's eyes widened as he soon realized what was happening.

"All units, be advised. The enemy is powering up the human's ship. Fast slide the hangar doors and my previous orders are amended. Revised orders are to charge in; shoot on sight is your command. Fire at will!"

The hangar doors quickly opened up and the soldiers charged into the entrance. None of the soldiers noticed the explosive charges planted along the entrance until it was too late. The charges were detonated, and all of the soldiers were enveloped in a giant fireball. Most were sent flying backwards into the air. The trucks that were close to the door were upended and sent rolling away from the hangar entrance. The tanks, though they weren't really damaged from the explosion, were blinded from the intense light.

Lash, who was running towards the door, was also sent flying into the air. He landed head-first on the turret of one of the tanks. Lash felt his neck snap on impact.

Then he felt no more.

* * *

Danny waited for the explosion to begin to settle. The fireworks show was impressive, but he couldn't see past the huge fireball that had erupted. He had brought the ship to the ceiling of the hangar to avoid damage, and just in time. As soon as he reached the ceiling, the doors opened rather quickly, and soldiers started to pour in. Danny, who took both detonators from Bren and Zainabu, pressed the detonator for the hangar. The result was a bunch of flying soldiers and no resistance.

He brought the ship down. "Okay, people. Let's get out of Dodge." Accelerating forward, Danny flew the _**Paratus Preliator **_out. Once there was nothing but sky in front of him, Danny gunned the engines and blasted away from the stronghold. He couldn't have been happier to leave this God-forsaken place. Now, all he had to do was find the lionesses, blow the stronghold, and go home.

Danny looked at the others in his cockpit. Zainabu sat in the co-pilot's seat, while Malka and Tojo sat in the navigator and communications officer seats respectively. Mheetu and Tupac had gone into the gunner seats, Tupac taking the dorsal cannon and Mheetu taking the ventral. Danny had given the two a quick crash course on how to use the cannons. Thankfully, the controls were simple to catch on to, and they had them down before Danny had even left the stronghold. Chumvi was the wildcard if anyone needed to be replaced, but that was unlikely.

Now, Danny started issuing the orders. "Okay, Malka. I want you to watch the battle radar and see if anything appears on our scopes. Tojo, monitor the channels for anything. Zainabu, I'm gonna need your help in piloting controls. I'll tell you which button to push, which knob to turn, and what switches to flip."

"Got it," they all responded in unison.

With that settled, Danny pressed the button for the intercom. "Mheetu, Tupac, have you two spotted any Blades coming?"

"That's a negative, Nightrider," Mheetu said.

Danny rolled his eyes. "You mean _Ghostrider._"

"Whatever."

Shaking his head, Danny turned his attention to the scanner. Bren said the lionesses had headed off in this direction, and the bio-thermal scanner was the best way at tracking them. If he found any of them, they would light up white amongst all the redness of the image. "Okay, start praying that I find them soon. This could either take a few moments or possibly an hour."

They waited while he focused on the screen. Zainabu held onto the controls to keep the ship steady. He didn't say a word to anyone, an finally Tojo broke the virtual silence. "Anything?"

Danny shook his head. "Nothing from what I can see. I'm going to widen the scan and zoom in on anything fairly large and white." He turned a focus and zoom knob much similar to a microscope. The image widened and refocused its resolution. This time, far ahead in the open field right before the area of rock pillars, was a decent sized blob of white dots. "Wait, I think I have them."

Everyone held their breath as he zoomed in on the heat signatures. Danny watched it resolve into six, elongated felines. He smiled. "That's them. I hope they'll be ready to see the new forms we've got." The others cheered at the news and also hoped the same thing as Danny brought the ship down in preparation to land the bird.

* * *

The six lionesses walked across the fields. They had no idea where they were going, and the only symbol they would have would be in the daytime. The sun would rise on the Pride Lands, and if the sun was at their backs, then they were heading in the right direction. But that did little to help the general mood of the group. Half of them lost mates, half of them lost sons, all of them lost family. Being miles from their home, it was next to impossible to find their way back, and with the current situation, the only ones they had left were each other.

Sarabi was the only one trying to collect her thoughts. The rest of the lionesses were just following her. She was trying to think realistically on everything. It looked like they would have to become a pride of their own and wait until a male lion found them to rule. It wasn't what she would prefer, but it might be their only chance at another pride if they couldn't find their way home.

She continued walking and looked back at the others. They all wore the same lifeless expression she had, and knew that talking to them wouldn't do any good, unless she was going to give directions. _Creator, if you are there, show me the way back home. Give us the strength and will to make it back. We've lost so much, please don't take what little we hold on to._

As Sarabi continued, a flash of light caught her attention to her left. She gazed at the light, which revealed to be a lion. _Mufasa?_ She turned to the others. "Do you see…this?" As she turned back, she noticed the lion was gone.

Ebere walked up to her. "What are we supposed to be seeing?"

Sarabi was as shocked as ever. She was positive she had seen the ghostly image of her late husband. "I-I…I thought I saw Mufasa. I swear he was right there."

"Sarabi, we've all had a stressful day. You were probably just imagining things."

"But he was there, Eb. I swear he was. I wasn't-" She saw yet another flash of light. This time, it was up in the sky. It went back behind her and disappeared. What replaced the evanescent light, was an object in the sky. That object resolved itself into a ship, and that ship was coming their way. Slowly, the mythical and almost demonic scream of its engine got louder and louder. Sarabi narrowed her eyes, and recognized it. It was Danny's ship, the _**Paratus Preliator**_.

At one point, she would've been delighted to see the ship. But Danny was dead and Dasyu possessed it now. She growled. "We have company."

The others turned to see the ship coming their way, and their dull mood suddenly snapped to pure aggression. All of them lost someone, and this was the perfect opportunity to inflict pain on those that brought it to them. They knew there was no place to run to, and that left only one option: fight. The lionesses crouched low and readied themselves as the ship landed.

All of them expected something to happen, be it a weapon from the ship opening fire or the ramp lowering. The only sounds being made were the lionesses growls and the idling engine of the ship as it set down. The lack of motion or noise started to confuse the lionesses, which all the while irked them.

Kula frowned. "Strange. One would think a greeting would be the next step."

As if an answer to her words, bright flood lights were turned on from the ship's pilot, blinding them momentarily. The lionesses adjusted to the light and waited for the next move to be made. They would love to make it, but there was little they could do but wait. Sarabi narrowed her eyes. _Come on, we don't have all night. _The ramp descended from the body of the ship. It settled down in the dirt, letting out a small hiss. For a few moments, nothing happened.

Then a lone figure walked down and turned to face them. Even though the lionesses had excellent vision in the night, the bright lights were making it impossible for them to distinguish who it was. They could tell, however, that he was a short, well-built figure. The figure carried no weapon, but walked to them. He stopped after a few feet of walking and placed his hands on his hips.

The figure snorted before speaking. His voice nearly gave the lionesses a heart attack. "Ladies, I'm kinda on a tight schedule. Do you want to be rescued or not?"

Sarabi heard the voice, but couldn't completely process the thought to her brain. It was so familiar, and yet her shock was blocking her mental processes. Finally, her brain told her whose voice it was, and shook her head. "It can't be…"

Danny walked up to them. "Oh, yes it is. It's me in the flesh…technically."

Berhane was the next to speak. "B-But…we saw you die. Like, right in front of us."

He nodded. "Yes, I know. But let's just say I, along with the rest of us, have physically been given a second chance."

Shani's face brightened. "Does that mean that…?"

Danny knew what she was going to say. "Yes, Shani. I mean everyone. Tojo, Mheetu, and Chumvi, Zee, and the others, including some new faces. They're all in the ship."

"Why aren't they out here?" Shani asked.

Danny held up a hand. "Before the reunion takes place, I need to tell you something."

Aziza, Shani, and Kula came the closest as the lionesses gathered around him. They didn't know if it would be good, bad, or something they'd have to interpret for themselves. Sarabi prayed it would be some good news, but then again, just having Danny back from the dead was good enough for her.

"We've all been granted a second chance, but we've also been given something else. Something you, the rest of the pride, and the people, are going to have to adjust to. You may not necessarily like it right off the bat, but the other option is us being dead."

"No, we'll gladly take you alive," Aziza said. "But what exactly are you talking about?"

"Let me demonstrate," Danny said. He stepped back. "Morph." All jaws dropped as Danny suddenly morphed from a human being to a great, golden lion. Just the fact that he was partially a lion was beyond comprehension, but the powerful form only amplified the situation. He looked at Sarabi, who was trying to figure out what words to say to him. "I know this comes as a shock to all of you, but it's not a bad thing, or doesn't have to be one."

Sarabi's mouth was agape. "You're a…but how did…?"

"Sarabi," Danny said, holding up a paw. "We'll leave it as an act of God. But this isn't the only form I've got." He straightened up and shook his mane. "I always wanted to do that. Anyways, what I show you next is a form that all of us save Zee have been given. She was given a human form only. Are all of you ready for this?"

Slowly, they all nodded. Sarabi and Shani had looks of shock, Aziza had a look of fascination, Kula, Ebere, and Berhane and looks of fear. Danny knew this was to be expected. He just hope they would still share the same love they had with their mates. He didn't want this to be a gift _and _a curse.

"Transform."

Again, they watched him change. Only this time, his whole lion body transformed into a gold and black mechanized being. To see this new version of Danny was absolutely amazing, and troubling as well. Danny was one of the robots that he had been fighting, and yet, he wasn't. He was a new breed of soldier, and his allegiances were to the pride.

Danny quickly explained the form. "This particular form was given to be able to fight Dasyu in the future."

"Fight Dasyu! But…" Kula was stunned.

"He's alive, and he left before I had a chance to deal with him. From what I was told, he left to another facility for overseeing a special project. However, we're leaving with a little gift to leave for our friend, Dasyu."

"What do you mean?" Sarabi asked.

"Zee and I planted some charges in the most…sensitive area in his stronghold. The explosion should take out the entire place and everything in the immediate area." He snapped his finger. "Oh, that reminds me. I think it's time you saw your mates and sons. Come on out, guys!"

The lionesses watched as Tojo, Chumvi, and Mheetu all walked out before them. They were all in their new forms, and the lionesses all were registering shock at what they saw. Ebere and Berhane looked as though they were about to pass out, and Kula, Shani, and Aziza wore unrecognizable expressions.

Danny watched the three males try to figure out what to say, so he spoke for them. "Girls, I know this is hard for you. It's different for all of us. But they're still the same three lions you've known, and they still love you just the same as they did before."

Tojo smiled as he walked to Kula. "Transform." He changed back into his original, lion form. "Kula, feel me. Feel the warmth of the lion you've always known, and the lion you've come to love."

Kula managed a smile. "I have to say, I've never heard you speak that way to me. How can I be sure you are my Tojo?"

He smiled. "Like I said, feel me."

She complied and brought her face up against his. It felt warm, soft, the same she remembered before. She buried her face in his mane, and the warm took away every chill in her body, every shake in her bone. She felt the same sense of love and security when she fell in love with Tojo and married him. Kula shuddered. "Oh, yes. I'm so glad you're back, Tojo."

"Well, being dead wasn't too bad. But I kinda missed the company."

She smirked. "Good to see you still haven't changed much. Now, I definitely know you're Tojo."

"Well, if I changed, how boring do you think I'd become?"

"Point taken."

Shani and Aziza were scared, at first. But once Mheetu and Chumvi followed suit to Tojo's method, they came to their mates in happiness. Unlike Kula, they responded with a cascade of tears. Mheetu and Chumvi nuzzled their mates as Berhane and Ebere came to their sons. All of them began talking and telling the other about their side of what happened. Everyone was finally reunited with each other.

Danny smiled as the scene of joy took place. He was determined to set out and rescue his pride. After many trials in the mission, he realized he couldn't do it all by himself. He needed the Lord's help, and it was given. He to admit that he wasn't fully expecting the help to be like this, but he wasn't going to complain.

As much as he wanted to enjoy this reunion with his pride, they needed to get back home. He began walking back to the ship. "Hey guys, the party's not over yet. It's waiting for us back in the Pride Lands, and I'd hate to miss it."

All of them hurried back into the ship, the lionesses gave their greetings to Malka, Zainabu, and Haraka. Danny introduced their younger member Tupac to the lionesses, and he respectfully said a quick "hello" before heading back up into his gunner seat. Mheetu did likewise and prepped the cannon for combat readiness.

Danny pointed behind the racks of weapons. "Alright, the lionesses are going to have to sit down as best as they can. Any turn I make or dive will be felt. The gravity compensator the ship has will prevent you from flying around and slamming into the bulkhead, but extremely tight and agile maneuvers are going to overpower the compensator and you will be sliding around. I'll do my best not to get into those maneuvers."

"What's the hurry?" Berhane asked. "We're free now. We can just cruise back to the Pride Lands now."

"No," Danny shook his head vehemently. "Even as we speak, Simba is fighting Zira's Outsiders. If we don't make it back soon, everyone will be dead and it'll just be us."

The news was just as stunning as the new forms Danny and the others and acquired. "What? How do you know that?" Shani asked.

"Again, an act of God and a little talk with someone." Danny saw the skepticism on the lionesses faces. "Just trust me on this. The sooner we get back, the sooner we can stop the battle."

"So we're going to stop Zira and finish her off?" Kula asked.

Another shake of the head from Danny surprised mostly everyone. "No, we're gonna try to get her to stop fighting and give her a second chance. We're going to let her rejoin the pride."

"Rejoin the pride!" Kula was livid. "She took my children from me and now my son doesn't acknowledge Tojo and I as his parents. God only knows how Vitani would feel towards us. Zira doesn't deserve a second chance."

"Everybody deserves a second chance, Kula. If you did all of that and wanted to change your ways, wouldn't you want a chance to be redeemed?" Kula was silent at his question. "I've learned this, everyone here who died to save you was given a second chance. Someone I didn't expect to see when I was dead, had been forgiven and redeemed. Fighting and killing Zira will only change us. We'll be like her, and even if we don't kill her, if we don't forgive her, then we are no different than her. The only thing that can change her and the Outsiders is love."

"And what if she refuses?" Sarabi asked. "Don't forget, she still believes you and Simba killed Scar. Convincing her of that won't be easy."

"I got a few tricks up my sleeve. But if she still refuses, then we will banish her forever. Any attempts to return after that will be met lethally."

"What about Vitani and Kovu?" Tojo asked.

"If I convince Zira to come over and rejoin the pride, I'll make sure she gives a public confession to both of them." Danny jerked a thumb. "But that's what we've got to do. We need to unite the pride together in order to fight Dasyu effectively. As much as they have been our enemies, the Outsiders are still part of our pride."

He turned to Sarabi. "How many times have you or Simba always said to me that we are one?"

Sarabi knew where he was getting at, and knew he was right. Even though Zira sided with the lion who killed her mate, Sarabi knew that Zira deserved a second chance. If she were in Zira's paws, she would want another chance to change. "Many times before, Danny."

"So, if we are to win, the first place we need to start is within our own people. Then we focus on the enemy outside of us. Even after everything she has done, could you all forgive Zira?"

He was asking the lionesses. Danny knew Zainabu, Malka and the others who died and came back to life would be willing to forgive Zira. But would the others do it? They all wore skeptic looks, and Danny was afraid they wouldn't want to forgive her. That would mean that this pride would no longer be a loving and just pride; it would be no more than a bunch of Outsiders calling themselves the Pride Landers.

Sarabi took the first step. "I would forgive her."

"Me too," Berhane said. Ebere, Shani, and Aziza all gave their confirmations to forgive Zira.

That left Kula. She was still a holdout at the moment. Zira had taken away her children for three years and now Kovu had returned and did not acknowledge her as his mother. Those three years couldn't be taken back, but did that mean that killing Zira would change anything? If she did forgive Zira, maybe it would open things up between her and her children.

She looked up. "It's not going to be easy, but I'll forgive her, Danny."

Danny smiled. The first step was taken. Now, they had to follow through with the next one. "Alright, let's get going. I want to be back-"

A loud, shrieking sound echoed outside the ship. It was loud enough for them to figure out that it was ordinance and it was coming their way. It passed quickly over their heads and the pitch dropped. The drop in pitch was followed by a tremendous explosion that sent slight tremors through the floor.

Tupac came over the radio. "The tanks are shooting at us. How did they find us so quickly?"

"I don't know, but we need to move," Malka said.

Danny, despite his panic, frowned. "Wait."

Everyone turned to face him. He didn't look panicked, but rather very confused. And he was looking up at the ceiling.

Danny thought over what he had heard the past few days. There was something different about that ordinance, something about the pitch and speed. Danny had heard tank blasts before. His father used to be a tanker, and took him a few times to watch him fire tank rounds. Even though all tank rounds were different, they all had one relative thing in common.

"The pitch is too high." He looked at all of them. "That was an air missile."

Everyone ran to their positions. Danny, Zainabu, Malka, and Tojo all ran to the cockpit. Finding their seats, Danny increased the power of the idling engines and began pulling up from their position. The ground disappeared below as the _**Preliator **_rose into the sky to figure out who was shooting at them.

Danny jerked his head around. "Malka, what've we got?"

"We've got three Blades coming at us from the rear."

_How did they find us that fast?_ Danny pulled up a visual on the radar. Three little blips appeared behind them, twenty miles and closing. But according to the readouts, the Blade's maximum effective range was seventeen miles. "It wasn't the Blades who took the shot. It came from somewhere else." His eyebrows rose at another possibility. "Malka, widen the range of the radar sweeps."

He complied, and turned the knob Danny had shown him earlier. The visual in front of Danny expanded, and a new contact appeared on the radar. It was a big one, much bigger than the Blades. Immediately, Danny recognized the ship, and who commanded it. It was still showing battle scars from before, but he knew who it was, but couldn't believe they were up and running so fast. He turned to look up out of the cockpit, in the direction of the large ship.

"Boronas."

* * *

**Please standby. Next chapter ETA: seven days or smaller. Hope this one was good.**


	31. Alpha Mike Foxtrot

**Hello everyone! Like I said, here is my next chapter in seven days or less. I was planning on putting this out earlier, but I wasn't planning on my laptop crashing. Thankfully, this was recovered and I have been able to upload this. Now, this is a little bit shorter than the others. You let me know if you prefer the longer chapters or if this is just right. Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

"Radar, why don't I have a black dot on the screen?"

Boronas waited impatiently on the deck. Since the battle with the human, his flagship had taken serious damage. Most fire controls were scrapped beyond field repair. He would need to bring it back to base in order to get it completely repaired. The only weapons he had were tropo-torpedoes. Other than that, no cannons, no missiles, and no air support. Maneuverability was still fully functional, but his engine power was limited. Communications were also shot and wouldn't have any way of signaling anyone else; even their signal lights were out.

He had spotted the human's ship and ordered a torpedo to be fired on the ship. The fact that he had seen an explosion and not a blackened dot was already pushing his unstable mood to the brink. "Well?"

Boronas' executive officer answered. "The weapon enabled on the far side of the target. It passed the human's ship before it armed."

The General let out an exasperated sigh. "You had the wrong range. Fire again with the right settings. Reload the tubes for one single shot, and if that doesn't work, we're going to a full spread shot to make sure that human doesn't get out of here alive."

"Yes, General."

Boronas watched the targeting crosshairs slowly center on the flying ship. Brackets went green, indicative of a guidance lock. In a few minutes, he would have a shooting solution again. This time, he would make sure the human wouldn't fly out of here alive.

* * *

Danny was both surprised and impressed that Boronas had managed to get his ship repaired and space worthy in less than two days. However, he had to put impressions aside. That flagship posed a great threat, and its range was incredible. He could outrun the ship itself, but those missiles would overrun him eventually. He would have to take out Boronas before leaving. The Blades would pose a double threat, and had him sandwiched between two enemies.

He pressed the button for the intercom. "Alright, Mheetu and Tupac. I want you both to take out the Blades behind us. They should be on your screen, and there should be three of them."

"Four," Mheetu corrected.

"Say again?"

"There's four. One of them is lagging further behind, but he's catching up to the group."

"Great," Danny said sarcastically. "Just do what you can. I'm going for Boronas."

"Danny, the screen says guidance lock acquired," Zainabu said. "What does that mean?"

The man grimaced as he looked out at the canopy. "It means that Boronas is about to fire on us…I need to find out what he's using on my ship." He typed up the readouts of the ship and what weapons were fired. Soon, a list showed up and revealed what weapons were being used: only one.

It was a longer, more narrow version of a torpedo. It had an effective range of over 150 kilometers and a speed that would easily outdistance his ship. That definitely confirmed his stance against outrunning Boronas. The torpedo also showed that it had a very dangerous concussion blast if detonated too close to the firer. Ergo, it was installed with safety ranges. The torpedo wouldn't arm itself until it reached a certain distance.

A smile crossed his face, as an idea came to his mind. _But what would happen if the torpedo impacted before the range was met? _He turned to face Boronas' ship. "You want to play games, Boronas? Let's play."

A loud beeping sounded off. "He's firing on us again, Danny," Zainabu said. "How do we evade the missile?"

Danny increased the throttle. "We don't." He strapped himself in and felt the gravity press against his chest as he put the engines over 100%. The _**Preliator**_ rocked itself forward and began closing the gap between the two ships. The distance between the torpedo and the ship closed rapidly, and the beeping was getting louder and louder; it was also getting more and more of a solid beep.

"Danny! What are you doing!" Tojo screamed, ecstatically.

"I'm heading straight for the torpedo."

"You're gonna do what!"

Danny ignored him and kept closing in on the torpedo. It was less than 2000 yards. In sixty seconds, the two ships would meet; the torpedo in less than that. He hoped that he wasn't wrong. Otherwise, they would be decorating the landscape below. Danny took all available power and gave it to the engines to prevent an engine overload. But even he admitted that this was crazy. It was a hunch, more or less. If things went south, he was dead. But if it worked, it would allow him to get closer to the ship and figure out a way to disable or destroy it.

Zainabu whispered into his ear. "What are you doing?"

"The readouts indicate the torpedo has a standard range before its safety settings deactivate and the torpedo arms. Until then, it's nothing but a flying shell. If I can close the distance before it arms, then we'll be okay."

"And if you don't?"

"Well, we'd be dead if we played it safe, and if I'm wrong or the safety ranges were shorter than I thought, then we're dead either way. This is our best chance."

Malka tapped Danny's shoulder. "Missile impact in fifteen seconds."

Danny turned to look. The torpedo was slowly becoming visible from its engine wash. Danny closed his eyes. _Lord, please let me be right._ He grabbed Zainabu's hand and held it firmly.

Malka spoke up. "Missile impact in five seconds…four…three…two…one…"

The missile slammed into the hull of the _**Preliator**_. It sounded more like someone taking the ball of a church bell and slammed it against the bell. Thankfully, Danny's guess was right. The missile broke apart on impact, bouncing off the hull and falling to the ground below. Diagnostics reported no damage at all. Danny sat back in his seat relieved.

Tojo, who was frantic this whole time, looked confused. "What happened?"

"Tactical strategy," Danny responded. "The torpedoes had a safety range setting. By closing the distance, the torpedo broke apart before it reached its range to arm itself."

The lion smiled. "So that's it?"

"No, I doubt Boronas is going to have that happen again. The trick won't work twice. If it does, Boronas is dumber than he looks. Now, hang on. It's time to shake these Blades."

No sooner than he said that, explosions shook the ship. Danny heard Mheetu and Tupac open fire on the Blades that had closed in on them. Danny aimed for the underside of Boronas' ship. _Now's where the fun begins._

* * *

Boronas stared out at the sky incredulously. He didn't see an explosion for the second time in less than ten minutes. This was starting to get to him. He usually was a cool-headed warrior, but this human had gotten inside his skin faster than any other enemy he had faced in previous times. Now, it was either the human or his own crew who was angering him.

He turned to his XO once more. "Someone want to explain what just happened? I have a fairly good idea, but I want confirmations."

The executive officer pointed at the readout screen. "The ship hit the torpedo before it passed its safety settings. The torpedo broke apart upon impact."

Boronas cursed. "Damn it! I want the safety ranges set to zero now."

"General, I can't go any faster."

"Well you better push it as fast as you can go. I want that human's blood fertilizing the ground below us," Boronas shouted. He walked over to the officer doing the damage control. He didn't speak to him, but he read the diagnostics list.

Shields were being operated on first, with the weapons systems right behind it. Communications was third on the list and engines were fourth. Minor problems were listed below those. Boronas could live without the communications for a while, and the engines were working just enough for his satisfaction. However, he wanted the shields and weapons to switch priorities.

"Officer, change the weapons repair to top priority."

The officer frowned. "Sir?"

"I want my weapons systems operational before anything else," Boronas growled. "The sooner they're up, the more weapons I'll have at my disposal to take out that human. It will make life easier on all of us."

"But sir, if we don't have our shields up, then it will be a lot easier for our enemy to destroy us."

Boronas' glared at him. "Do I need to repeat myself, _Lieutenant_?"

The officer stiffened, then hung his head. "No, sir." He began changing the priorities list for the repair drones and mechanics.

"This ship has plenty of armor to withstand from a ship that size. Besides, if our weapons are up and running, we have more to dish out at him. Once he is taken care of, then we'll bring the shields back up."

He walked away and looked around. A few of those he caught looking at him immediately looked back down at their screens. Everyone was busy, but they also were fearing the possibility of screwing up with him in this mood. He ignored most of their gazes. The General would only get angry if they lost focus and then fouled up in this battle. It would not be pretty for that soldier.

"General, ranges are set to zero."

Boronas shook his head and let out a breath. "It's about bloody time. Where's the human's ship, Navigations?"

The XO answered. "He's taken up a position behind us."

Hearing that, Boronas turned around to the viewport. "Prepare countermeasures. Bring us about, left full rudder." The human was definitely skilled, Boronas would give him that. But he was rolling on luck, and Boronas did not advance through the ranks on luck and connections. He advanced through victory and sacrifice; now, it was time to rack up another victory. Boronas looked back up at the viewport. "I'll shake the man loose," he said in a low voice.

* * *

Danny hung in the shadow of Boronas' ship. He was trying to figure out a way to bring his ship down. He only had four missiles remaining and the Vulcan cannons had only so much ammunition left as well. He couldn't destroy the ship with what weapons he possessed. However, he could give Mheetu and Tupac some angles where they could take out the ship's engines and send it back down to the ground.

That would prove to be challenging. Those engines weren't the smallest hard points on the ship, but they would take a lot of punishment, even without shields. But what was making things difficult were the Blades. Even though there were only three of them, and a fourth on the way, Mheetu and Tupac had never shot weapons up until a few hours ago. For them to be asked to shoot down three fast-moving targets was a lot.

The Blade fighters were a lot more maneuverable than the _**Preliator**_, but he could outrun them. If it weren't for Boronas' flagship, he would've done that already. So he was forced to play their game and try to beat them at it, all the while staying behind Boronas.

It wasn't long before the General picked up his position and began turning to get behind Danny. Danny compensated, but Boronas' ship was extremely agile for its size. That, and the fact that three Blades were attacking him was making that difficult for him to stay behind the General. Unless those Blades were disposed of, Boronas would be back behind Danny and firing another torpedo at him.

"Mheetu, Tupac. Have you plugged any of those Blades?"

An explosion shook the ship. "That answer your question?" Tupac's blatant sarcasm was not helping Danny's mood.

"Just shoot them down. The sooner they're gone, the more flexible I can be."

In the ventral turret, Mheetu was traversing his fire at a Blade that was coming in for a sweep. His brackets were on the ship, but the shots landed right where the Blade used to be. The Blade loosed its cannons on the ship, and Mheetu felt the vibrations from the blasts shake his hands. Mheetu slapped the screen. "This is crazy."

Another of the Blades came in. This time, it was rising straight up from below him, leaving him with an easy shot. _Finally, a break._ But just as he opened fire, the _**Preliator **_jerked to the left. The setup shot he once had was now gone. Mheetu pressed the intercom button. "You know, Danny, if you'd stop turning so much, we might be able to shoot them down much easier."

Danny's voice came back with a biting tone. "Well, I'm trying to stay behind Boronas so he can't shoot us down. I can only do so much for you. You have to compensate, because I'm doing more than I can. Unless you think you can drive better than me."

Mheetu didn't bother to respond. He didn't have the time nor the energy to waste in an argument. He found a Blade off to his left, bringing himself around for another pass. This time, he was able to lead the fighter and thumbed the firing mechanism. His shots punched through the Blade's hull, and the fuel tanks exploded. The Blade disappeared into a giant fireball, and the only thing emerging from it was superheated slag.

However, it came at a cost. Mheetu held the trigger down too long, and the cannons suffered a burnout. He was out for twenty seconds. "Danny, I got one. But the cannon's overheated."

In the cockpit, Danny half-smiled. In a situation were there would be over a dozen Blades, that would be terrible. But with only two Blades left, it was doable. "That's fine, Mheetu. At least you got him."

"That's one less for us to deal with," Zainabu said.

"But Boronas is just about turned around. It's only a matter of time before he's able to get off a shot." Danny pitched and rolled for a sharper dive and turn. It was an extreme maneuver he didn't want to perform with all of the crew and cargo, but with their lives on the line, he had to do it.

One of the two remaining Blades in close range decided to follow him through in this maneuver. While the pilot did follow through with Danny, he wasn't prepared for what Danny did next. As soon as he came out of his dive-and-turn move, Danny cut the thrust. The Blade shot on ahead, and that Blade crossed into a smooth and predictable arc into Danny's brackets. He fired the Vulcan guns. The Blade in his sights soon became a shower of metal and flames.

As he flew through the cloud, Danny looked at the radar. Boronas was now right behind him and less than a thousand yards distance from him. Now, the Blade that had been trying to catch up this whole time was now in fighting range. There was absolutely no way he'd be able to avoid the torpedoes this time.

* * *

From his flagship, Boronas watched as he came around and behind the human. He wished he had communications, because he would've commended the Blade pilots who kept him occupied. Two of them lost their lives and he would make sure to find out who they were to honor their sacrifice. Soon, this would all be over. Boronas did admit this was very challenging, not to mention, entertaining. But this fight had to end, and it was going to end now.

"General, the human's ship is 950 yards, directly in front of us," the navigations officer reported.

Boronas smirked. "Gotcha. Match bearings and fire at once."

He was a little surprised to hear his XO appeal this. "We're too close, General. The concussion from the torpedoes would-"

"Don't argue with me."

The executive officer kept on. "The tropo-torpedoes are armed in the tubes, General. You can't fire them this close without damaging-"

The General had enough of his banter. He walked toward the fire control station and shoved his XO aside. "Do it now!" He pressed all four buttons, and four thumps were heard as the salvo of torpedoes shot out toward the _**Preliator**_.

* * *

Zainabu watched the computer screen go from yellow to flashing red to solid red. A second later, four small dots appeared from Boronas' ship. This was bad. They were too close to avoid it, and she wasn't sure what Danny would do. "Danny, Boronas fired four torpedoes at us."

"I noticed that, Zee," Danny said, irritably. He immediately regretted using that tone. But he didn't have time to apologize. "I'm gonna try to shake it at the last second to try to get the torpedoes to overshoot."

"I don't know, Danny. I think he's got us," Zainabu said.

The distance of the torpedoes closed in, less than 700 yards. The solid beep of the enemy lock was a constant reminder of what was soon to come. But then the solid beep became distorted and wavy, going from a solid beep to an extremely repetitive beep. It was enough for Danny to see what was causing the noise. The screen was reading "lock disruption" in black text. He looked on the radar, and saw one of the Blades was swinging itself right behind the _**Preliator**_, right between the ship and the torpedoes. Danny frowned. _What the…?_

An accented voice came over the com-link. "You seem to be having trouble here. Let me help you out."

Danny nearly shouted in joy. "Way to go, Bren!"

Bren's energy signature was large enough for the four torpedoes to follow him, and he sped up and away from Danny. He rose high in the sky, with the torpedoes streaking in on him. Bren released the countermeasures from his Blade and pulled back on the stick, bringing himself into an angled dive. The torpedoes went through the chaff Bren had released and began actively searching for a target.

He spotted the remaining Blade and centered his sights on the fighter. Selecting the ship's missiles, he acquired a lock on the Blade. With a solid tone, he fired.

The Blade pilot was smart, and when the missile came in close, the pilot moved at the last second. The missile overshot and streaked down to the ground. The pilot had moved…straight into Tupac's sights. The dorsal gunner scored his first kill, as the Blade went up in flames and was sent falling down to the ground in pieces.

Bren smiled. "Good teamwork, gunner."

"It's Tupac, and thanks for the setup."

"No problem," Bren said.

"Look's like the torpedoes are locking on us again," Danny said. "You know, Boronas has given us four precious gifts to us and we don't have anything for him. I say we give him his gifts back and we'll call it even."

As the torpedoes began closing in, so too, did the two ships close in on the big flagship in the way to their gate of freedom. The _**Preliator **_and the lone remaining Blade closed in, with the torpedoes tight on their tail. Danny considered arming his last four missiles, but decided against. He might need them later on. They passed on either side of Boronas' flagship.

* * *

Inside the ship, Boronas watched the human's ship and the lone Blade head straight toward them. Whoever was in that Blade couldn't have been one of their own men, but who else could it be? The two ships split on either side of the viewports and were past him. The only thing left in his viewport were four torpedoes heading straight for him.

"Torpedoes, dead ahead and coming this way," an officer said.

The executive officer snarled at Boronas. "Nice job, you arrogant fool. You've just killed us."

Boronas looked back at him and then back at the torpedoes just as they slammed into the ship.

_No._

The explosions were powerful, but the concussions blew the flagship apart. Anyone in the area was deafened by the huge and bright explosion. The concussive blasts broke through the sound barriers for over four miles, and the chunks of metal were shot out in all directions like a meteor shower. The pieces rained down on the land below, giving the landscape the look of a ship graveyard. Moreover, Boronas and all who crewed his ship, were dead.

* * *

Cheers roared through the cockpit and maintenance bay of the _**Preliator**_. Boronas was now gone and the only thing left was to get back home. It had only been a few days, but it was the longest few days of their lives; it felt more like a few years. The feeling of breaking through to the end was completely uplifting. For a few of them, it was a state of euphoria.

Danny smiled as he listened to everyone cheering and jumping up and down. It was like a sports team reaching the championship game, and after all the hard work and sacrifice they put into it, they all came out champions. The heavy burden and stress Danny had been going through the last few years finally felt lifted from him. He felt different, a good difference at that. Now, they had one more job to do, and it was back in the Pride Lands. Of course, he had to blow the facility up now. But then an idea struck his mind, a good way to taunt his enemy.

Danny grabbed the detonator and activated the ship's recorder. He looked at the celebratory crew in the cockpit. "Whoa, whoa, everyone settle down."

They all turned, and Malka looked at him as if he wasn't aware of what had happened. "Why? We're free now. It's time to head back home, and time to celebrate."

The leader of the Preliators pointed at the recorder lens. "Well, we have to blow the facility now. I was just going to send a…death message to him."

"What do you mean by death message?" Zainabu asked.

"Just have everyone quiet down and I'll record. You'll understand as I speak." He waited for all of them to nod in agreement. Malka and Tojo headed into the bay to tell everyone to be quiet for a few minutes. Soon, they both returned to him. Danny turned to face the camera lens. "Alright, lights, camera, action!" He flipped the switch and he began recording.

* * *

Gyro checked his wound. It still ached, but it was recovering quite well. Other than that, he was mostly quiet for the ride to Facility Three. He had patched through a communiqué for General Xev to talk to the Officer in Charge. From what he could tell, the OIC was Commander Lash, and it sounded as though someone was staging an attack in the stronghold. Lash wasn't sure who it was, but he wished it was a particular someone who was still alive.

The human was killed, the one person Gyro would be willing to fight beside against Dasyu. Now, it seemed as though he had no choice but to follow Dasyu's orders. _If only you were still alive, human._

He overheard Xev talking with Dasyu. "So as far as Commander Lash knows, it's most likely someone among us who's had enough. They had gained control of the hangar and Lash has the outside locked down."

Dasyu narrowed his eyes. "Do we know what they're after?"

Xev shook her head. "I'm not sure, sir. They maybe after the human's ship, they maybe after some of the Blades or a transport to escape…I don't know."

"Well, since we've got the ship's artificial intelligence copied to our systems, the human's ship is authorized for destruction." He sighed. "I would prefer not to do that; it's a very fascinating ship. But I got what I wanted, so I'm willing to lose the ship if these rebels get control of it."

"Shall I give the order to Commander Lash?"

"At once, General," Dasyu ordered.

Gyro heard footsteps approach and Xev leaned in near his shoulder. It was a little discomforting with the General breathing over his shoulder, but he quelled it. "Alright, patch me through to Commander Lash."

"Yes, General." He patched a few cables, typed in a few commands, and was done in less than thirty seconds. "Ma'am, you have a secure line to Commander Lash."

"Thank you." Xev pressed the push-to-talk button. "General Xev to Commander Lash. Come in, over." All that answered her was solid static. No Lash, no signal officer on the other side, no response at all. "That's odd," she said, frowning. "Xev to Lash, respond at once!" Nothing. She looked down at Gyro. "Are you sure you have a connection with him?"

Gyro shrugged. "No, ma'am. I know I'm good on our end, but he may not be good on his end. I can't definitively answer that question unless we hear something from him."

Xev rolled her eyes. "In another time, I'd have you in the stockade for a few miserable weeks for that smart remark. But this is a time where humor can be a good thing, but keep it in check. Otherwise, you _will _be spending time in a cell."

He stiffened at the reprimand. "Yes, ma'am. But I can't-wait a minute. What's this?"

On the screen, something came up. It wasn't Lash or any soldier; it wasn't even one of their own at all. It was a file coming from an unknown system and unknown location, but it looked to be a video file. It was addressed for Dasyu's eyes only. Gyro looked at Xev, who frowned but turn to look at Dasyu. "Dasyu, you have an eyes-only video message."

Dasyu turned to her. "Who's it from?"

"No return signal address."

Dasyu walked over and saw the message flashing. He wasn't really worried about security protocol. The only ones present were himself, General Xev, the pilot, and the signal officer. He sighed and shook his head. "Just bring it up on the overhead." He watched the signal officer type a few commands in, and soon the lighting in the cockpit dimmed.

The screen lit up and the message began playing. The video showed the head and shoulders of one, single individual. Dasyu's jaw dropped. "What!"

On the screen was the dull, but slightly smiling face of the human, Daniel Manning. _"If you're watching this, Dasyu, it means that I'm dead."_

* * *

Danny finished recording and sent the message away on all open channels and titled it for Dasyu's eyes only. He grabbed the detonator and waited. If the message started playing, the progress bar would show up on his screen. All he had to do was wait until the end of the video and he would detonate the charges. Then, it was on the way home.

Malka, Tojo, and Zainabu all watched him as the video recorded. They tried not to laugh at his dramatic tones and gestures, but after the video cut out, they all died laughing. It was confusing, at first, but after awhile it made complete sense to them why he was doing it, and the only thing that they regretted was not being able to see Dasyu's face when it was all said and done. At least with the way he made the video, it would still suggest Danny was still dead.

Danny saw the timer hit ten seconds and lifted the detonator. "Turn out the lights, the party's over." The timer hit zero, and he waited a split second before pressing down on the detonator button.

There seemed to be total silence for a second. That silence disappeared, as every sound, big or small, was drowned out by the charges going off in the reactor rooms. The nuclear explosion was devastating, as it incinerated the entire stronghold and everyone in it. The massive mushroom cloud rose high in the sky and expanded about fifteen miles. The area was mostly barren thanks to Dasyu, so there was little damage to the environment itself.

The nuclear blast's concussion wave hit the _**Preliator**_, shaking it violently. Danny held onto the controls and accelerated as fast as he could go, drawing power from the cannons to the engines. Thankfully, the fireball didn't reach the ship, and they eventually cleared the blast radius of the concussion.

Malka stood. He had never felt anything like that before. "That was some explosion. Even the first time you blew a facility of his, Danny, I didn't feel it as much as this one."

Laughing lightly, Danny turned. "Well that's because it wasn't as big or powerful as this stronghold was. That first facility was like a firecracker compared to this." He pointed to the door. "But you and Tojo go into the maintenance bay and chill with the others. I'm sure they'd like your company."

Malka raised his hand in protest, but stopped when he saw Danny jerk his head towards Zainabu and wink at him. Malka got the message and smacked Tojo's shoulder. "Sounds good. You with me, Tojo? I don't think I can handle all those lionesses."

Tojo snorted. "Don't let Tama hear about that."

"You know what I meant."

"Whatever, playboy. Let's go."

"Who's calling who a playboy?"

The two argued as they opened the door and shut it behind them. Danny kept the ship at full power and set course for the Pride Lands. Their main mission was complete. Now, they had another mission to take care of back home, and time was not on their side. However, he did need to square away two things with Zainabu first. He turned to face Zainabu, who was still at the controls. With the course set, Danny turned the autopilot on, and grabbed Zainabu's hand. "Zee, I need to talk to you."

She let go of the controls and faced him. "What is it, Danny?"

Danny took in a deep breath. _I can't believe I'm about to ask this, but here goes. _"When you and I met, I never thought we'd have the kind of connection and closeness between each other over the years to come. You were very kind to me right from the start, but it wasn't a motherly kindness like it was with Sarabi. You were genuinely interested in what I did before I came here, and we spent as much time as we could together."

"Those were good times," she said with a smile, but then frowned. "But what are you trying to say?"

He leaned in close to her. "Zee, I love you. I've already shared so much of my life with you, and you with me. I want you in my life as my friend, and more than my friend, for good. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and enjoy every moment I can with you. I know I should've said this before, but you complete me." She gasped as she realized what he was asking. Danny got down on one knee. His entire chest was pounding as he spoke. "Zainabu, will you marry me?"

Zainabu's day was made. She always hoped for this day, but not too long ago, that day looked to never come. Now, it had come true. Danny was asking her to marry him, to start a family with him, and to grow old together. The tears fell down her cheeks, as she released her grip on his hands and wrapped herself around him, resting her head on his shoulder. "Oh my God! Yes, Daniel Manning. I will marry you."

The two wrapped themselves in a tight hug, taking in the warmth from the other. Danny felt the same happiness and joy she felt, and let a tear stream down his cheek. He wished he had the gold diamond ring his mother had stored for him when he would propose, but that ring was back where he used to live. But he knew she wouldn't care. She'd never seen one before; she didn't even know that a man was supposed to get down on one knee to propose.

They pulled away from each other and green met brown as the two looked into each other's eyes. Danny resumed the talk. " This is the happiest moment of my life, Zee." She didn't respond in words, only a heart-melting smile and nod. Danny also remembered something else that happened earlier, and some regret returned to him. "I also wanna say I'm sorry for how I spoke to you earlier, during the fight. I shouldn't have talked to you like that, Zee."

Zainabu pulled strands of her hair away from her face. "It's alright, Danny. We were in battle, and stress can get the better of us. Don't worry about it."

"Thanks, Zee." Danny grabbed her other hand so that he was holding both of them. "Is there any way I can make it up to you?"

She gave him a devilish smile. "I can think of one way." She pulled him for a deep kiss, which he gladly returned. For her, every kiss he gave was absolutely electrifying. Her blood rushed through her veins as if there was no tomorrow; her heart began beating harder and faster than ever before. When they broke, she gave him a nod. "Apology accepted."

* * *

Dasyu stared at the video of his enemy. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. At first, he thought Danny was dead. But when Danny mentioned this would be sent in the event of his death, it seemed to logically make sense. Still, he was surprised and irritated to see a video of Danny being sent to him. He continued to listen as the video played on, though he wanted to shut it off; he wanted the human out of his life.

On the screen, Danny pointed to himself. _"Yes, Dasyu. You got me, I'm dead. I congratulate you on finally killing me. I don't know, at this time, how hard it was to kill me. But the bottom line is: you killed me and my friends. I hope you enjoyed killing me, because I have to leave_ _you a little message, Dasyu." _He dropped out from the camera for a second before returning. _"This message is going to be _loud_ and _clear_."_

"_You remember that I infiltrated the facility and not go through the front door. I took a conveyor belt and rode it into a reactor room. I had planted C4 charges on the reactors. You had to have grabbed the detonator and taken it from me if this video is playing. Because even though I'm dead and you have the remote, the charges have one special feature installed in them. Before I explain, I will pause for thirty seconds so that you can bring up some video feed of your reactor room. If you have it, that is."_

Dasyu felt an awful premonition and looked down at Gyro. "Quickly! Bring up any video footage of the stronghold's reactors."

Gyro complied. Even though there were numerous nuclear reactor rooms, he knew which one Danny was in. He typed up commands for that room and the footage displayed on the screen in front of him. Even without zooming in, all of them could see black dots that shouldn't have been there, standing out among the red on various reactors.

Danny resumed speaking. _"My charges have to be updated every so often. If they don't, for instance, my death or someone taking the remote and not updating, then a timer begins. The only to stop it is to cut the correct wiring. If this video is playing, you have less than sixty seconds before the charges go off."_

The happiness, relief, and composure Dasyu had felt was all gone. They were now replaced by panic, fear, and despair. All of his plans were about to come crashing down, and he could've avoided that by checking every place Danny had gone through. The human had outsmarted Dasyu, even in death. Anger and hatred boiled inside of him, as he looked back at the image of Danny with distaste.

Gyro didn't show it, but he was secretly happy. Even though the human was dead, he was about to blow the main power hub of Dasyu's Specters, and Facility Three housed only 20% of his entire personnel and what drones were being created. _Nice going, buddy._

"_So in parting, I leave this as a farewell gift to you Dasyu. I hope you enjoy the fireworks display." _Danny gave one last smirk on the video screen. _"Just so you know what the phrase 'having the last laugh' means, listen up."_

The video cut out, and a second later, the video footage of the reactor room went white before going black. Even though they were miles away, the explosion could be heard easily from in their transport. It was loud, and that was at a distance. Gyro brought up the rear camera of the transport for everyone to see.

Dasyu looked at the video as a huge fireball and mushroom cloud erupted where his stronghold now used to be. A whole army and air armada, wiped out by a human he had killed. His desire for revenge was renewed, but it couldn't be satisfied now. The human was dead, and that meant he had to simply live with it. His anger and frustration finally vented from being bottled inside.

"Damn you, DANIEL MANNING!"

* * *

**Hope you guys enjoyed that. Dasyu and Co. are no longer going to be in this story directly, not until the next and final story of my books. Now we will finish up where this all began: in the Pride Lands. But right now, it's time to play some Halo: Reach. Hope to hear from you and look forward to some reviews.**


	32. Fighting a Losing Battle

**Hey, everyone! Glad you've been enjoying the story. After this chapter, you're probably not going to get the next one until after the 17th of May. I've got finals and need to study for them. Enjoy this chapter and tell your friends about the story!**

* * *

For more than ninety minutes, the Pride Landers had been outfought, outgained, and outclassed.

The Outsiders had the momentum, the Pride Landers had Simba. As king, he was supposed to win battles like this. But ever since the ambush, Simba didn't get up as fast as he used to. His monster swings found their target less and less. And worst of all, the mental complacency of the pride. The lack of coordination and desire had all but finished their chances.

Now, they were regrouping for their final stand. Inside the gorge, the Pride Landers knew that one side of the gorge was blocked off completely by logs. They could climb up, but it would cost them precious time and energy. They could run down the other direction of the gorge, but this was a battle for the Pride Lands. They couldn't just run away. Their only option was to stand and fight again.

The Pride Landers gathered around Simba. He was in excruciating pain. The injuries suffered earlier in the day and during the battle had taken their toll on him; he was going to have to sit back and recover like Zira did. Still, as the king, he needed to motivate his pride to keep fighting.

Simba looked around at their exhausted expressions. "I know you're tired, I know you're hurting. We've made stands defensively for as long as we could. It isn't enough for us in order to win."

"But we're exhausted, Your Majesty," Xolani responded. "I'm not sure any of us have the stamina to make another push."

"Besides, we haven't gotten far in any of our pushes before," Kiara added in.

The lionesses murmured amongst each other or seconded what was said. Simba couldn't allow that to keep going. "Alright, alright. These are all valid points. But we're going to have a few advantages in our favor that we never had earlier." He pointed up to the Outsiders, who were resting up and getting ready for another assault. "The Outsiders are getting cocky now, which means they're going to get complacent in their mentality. If they become slow in their awareness, we need to take advantage of that in order to put them back on their heels."

"Simba's right," Nala said. "If they think the victory is already theirs, then we have a chance to take advantage of that mistake. We might just be able to rally together and win this."

"But Mother, we've been trying to win this as best as we could," Kiara said. The other lionesses nodded in agreement.

Simba was about to speak again, but was surprised when Kovu answered a split-second before him. "Is that what everyone here believes? That you've been _trying_?" He was answered by silence. "That's the key to this whole battle. We've been trying this whole time. Our goal is to win, and we need to _do_ what we're supposed to do, not try to."

"What's the difference?" Tavira asked brusquely.

"Trying is lacking of confidence, and full of worry about not getting the job done. Doing is solid, like a rock. It also displays confidence and is focused." Kovu glared at all of them. "From what I've seen, the only ones who are doing what is expected of them is the king and queen, Tanabi and his group, and myself. Everyone else is trying their best, but break down when something goes bad or is too worried about the possible outcomes."

Tanabi appreciated the compliment given to him and his group of lionesses. But this wasn't the time to focus on that. "Kovu's right. We can't have some or even the majority of us doing our best. We _all _need to do our best. Otherwise, we're as good as dead. We have to stay focused and not distract ourselves with little intricacies of this fight."

Simba limped around and looking at each and every one of them. Despite the pain, he kept his face solid. "Our lives are not the only ones on the line. Some of you remember what it was like under Scar's reign, most of you have only heard what has happened. But if Zira wins, it will be the same as before: a barren wasteland. The big differences is not a pack of hyenas and a male lion, but a pride of renegade lionesses and no male to lead them. The blood line and royal code that has been followed for generations will come to a painful halt. The herds, packs, and other animals will leave and this time, they won't come back. Do any of you want that?"

The lionesses exchanged glances. They had never stopped to realize what effect this would have on the people. They would not tolerate living under Zira a second time. Five lionesses were lost and more would've joined them had it not been for the combined efforts of Danny and Simba. Slowly, but surely, all of them shook their heads in denial.

The king of the Pride Lands continued. "Their lives are on the line like ours. That's why I've kept fighting to this point. Now, I'm unable to go on, not without a little more time anyways. I need all of you to do this. We must win this fight, or everyone and everything will be lost forever."

"How are we going to fight without you, Your Majesty?" Tavira asked. "We need the overall leadership."

"That's what I'm here for, Tavira." Nala's blue eyes went from sparkling to an ice-cold glare that sent shivers down a few lionesses' backs. "I can direct the pride in this fight, and Kovu, Tanabi, and Kiara can also pitch in as far as the leadership is concerned."

With that all aside, Simba smiled. "Alright, then. Zira will probably go for a lateral swing. Counter that by shifting all to the side the lioness will be swinging towards. Have another lioness linger in the rear to push them back. Once we start a push, let's have a runner break through the lines. The rest of us need to block and occupy any Outsiders to clear the way."

"I'll take that second job," Kiara said, volunteering for the duty.

Simba looked at his daughter. "Kiara, I would rather you not."

"Father, I can take care of myself. I'm not just some helpless cub." She locked eyes with her father's. "I can do this."

This caused a huge sigh to leave Simba's mouth. He knew his daughter had her mind set, and there wasn't time to reason with her to let someone else take the runner duty. "Alright, then. You have that duty. Let's get to work, everyone."

The Pride Landers made quick plans and turned around to face their enemy. The Outsiders began moving down. The final few minutes figured to be little more than a formality.

Vitani and the other Outsiders bared their teeth and snarled. Some dug their claws in the ground, ready to take off and rejoin the battle. The Pride Landers didn't snarl, growl, or even show any form of intimidation. They showed no emotion, good or bad. The only thing they showed was focus and determination. Within moments, both lines moved towards each other.

"Shift!"

As soon as Vitani shouted the command, a lioness on the edge of the Outsiders' lines began lagging behind and running behind them. Xolani, who was on that side, noticed the move and broke off and ran in sequence with the counterpart lioness on the other side. The Outsider never noticed Xolani, and when she found a crease in her lines, she took it just as the two lines engaged.

The Outsiders expected to deliver the knockout punch, but the Pride Landers anticipated the move.

Xolani stuffed the gap the lioness was shooting for, catching the Outsiders off-guard. The cluster of Pride Landers pushed back the opposing runner as well as the rest of the Outsiders near the gap. It caused massive confusion in the Outsiders' front, as well as a massive break in the lines. The Outsiders ran back up the hill to regroup, with the Pride Landers hot on their tails.

Tanabi led the charge with his small unit of lionesses. They moved swiftly through the lines, slicing through in methodical fashion. Kovu and Nala learned from his example, and split the lionesses up in small groups, and they led each one group. The adopted strategy worked; it's informal and unconventional method was causing confusion among the Outsiders, forcing them to retreat and try to figure out the Pride Landers' new strategy.

Even though the Outsiders began slowing them down, the Pride Landers continued to gain huge chunks of ground. Most of it came on their new strategy, and one on a run of pure heart.

Tanabi charged through the lines. One lioness grabbed onto him, but she was caught in between him and a lioness engaged with her. Tanabi went low to the ground, but kept his balance. Another lioness jumped on him and managed to get a paw around his throat. It didn't deter him; he still was able to breath and kept pushing the pile forward. A third Outsider came running at him and lunged her body into him. The body tackle knocked both lionesses off him, as well as knocking Tanabi back a few steps, but he kept going after the hit.

To keep going, even when everything is going wrong, especially when everything is going wrong is the mark of a champion. The Pride Landers kept going. In just five minutes, they had gained more ground than they did in any of their previous drives; now, they were back to the center of the battlefield with the Outsiders reeling. Suddenly, the Pride Landers looked dangerous, and clearly, were not ready to die quite yet.

Kovu knew his old pride very well, and whenever he came across a lioness on the side of the Outsiders, he swept through them with precision. When that wasn't an option, he countered with brute force. The lionesses, being isolated, were no match for a male lion. But that didn't stop them from fighting tenaciously against their former ally.

Kiara began her run. As she looked for a hole to shoot through, she looked to her left. Tanabi and Kovu were charging straight ahead for two unoccupied lionesses. She cut that way and began running in their direction while pushing forward at an angle. Tanabi ran right in front of her and bulldozed the first lioness, knocking her off her feet. Kovu didn't do the same with the other lioness, but he was steadily pushing her back. It was enough of a gap for her to swing around and sprint through.

The Outsiders who noticed this went for her without thinking about the other Pride Landers. When they reached her, she slowed down and turned so that none of them were behind her. She was isolated and in need of help. She bared her teeth and recalled as much as she was taught by Kovu. She would need it to survive. Before anyone made a move, Kiara received her help.

It wasn't the kind of help she was expecting. It came, not in the form of one of the pride or even Rafiki, but in the form of Timon and Pumbaa. The warthog spun around so that his rear was facing the Outsiders. Timon grabbed Pumbaa's tail and aimed it like a rifle. "Don't anybody move! This things loaded. I'll let you have it!"

The Outsiders apparently knew what the smell of warthog was like. They shrieked and took off in retreat, leaving a laughing Timon and Pumbaa and a flabbergasted Kiara. _That's something you don't see everyday. _

Timon looked up at Kiara. "Talk about your winds of war."

"Nice job, Timon," Kiara said with a grateful smile. "Now let's see if that trick can work again."

* * *

So far, the strategy worked for the Pride Landers, but part of it was the Outsiders. When they had their enemy isolated in the gorge, they believed that the battle was theirs and they just needed to finish them off. Problem was, they didn't finish them off, and it started with their mentality. Complacency settled in on them just as the Pride Landers had refocused themselves and lit up some new motivation, and now they were paying the price. Simba's pride was now winning the battle of both brawn and brain. Jammed lionesses and fake attacks kept the Vitani off-balance.

The Outsiders regrouped and reformed their line. Every single time the Pride Landers had gotten to the center of the battlefield, the Outsiders had come up with a stop. Could they do it again and force another standstill which, at least, would give themselves a chance to push the Pride Landers back?

Zira ran back to the base of the rock she had stood on at the beginning of the battle. This was not turning out the way she had planned, but she had confidence in Vitani. The young lioness had performed in near perfection. If she maintained her consistency, Vitani would make Zira proud and push the Pride Landers back and finish them off.

As they aligned again, Vitani thought of a strategy to stem the momentum of the Pride Landers and drive them back. A straight plunge on the individual groups of lionesses attacking the Outsiders would most likely halt the drive. They were too spread out to perform a lateral swing, and individual bait-and-trap attacks could only go so far. She knew Simba was lingering in the back from his injuries; if any Outsider slipped past, and injured Simba would be an even match at best for him. But first, she needed to stop the progression of the Pride Landers.

With the battle on the line, the Pride Landers weren't going to make Vitani laugh, or give any cheap shots and fake attacks, but their pressure and momentum forced the lioness to make a call that she and Simba's pride would never forget.

Vitani knew what her options were given the situation. The best thing was to call the command for a charge. Unfortunately, her snap decision came with a mental mistake. "Shift! I mean, push! Push! Push!"

The Outsiders heard the command call and then the correction, and began charging. All of them except the furthest one on the right side of the lines. She heard the first command, but not the amended one. Seeing no one on the other side moving, she broke off from the lion she was on and began swinging laterally.

The mistake was a critical one because of the lion she was fighting with. That lion was Tanabi. Seeing the opportunity, he broke out in a sprint unopposed. There was no one within ten feet of him, and it wasn't until he was halfway from Zira's position that an Outsider noticed the huge lion charging at her leader, and shouted for the others.

"Tanabi's broken through!"

Vitani turned and her eyes widened. She didn't know how he got past them, but now their hopes of winning were now all but dashed. Zira hadn't even spotted him yet, as he was all the way to her right flank. Vitani acted quickly. "Everyone, get Tanabi!" The Outsiders who heard this turned and ran back to where he was.

Zira had been watching the battle take to the next level. She had been watching the Pride Landers steadily making their way back to her, and she was going to have to fight soon in order to rally the Outsiders for victory. She heard Vitani shouting commands, and then followed up with corrections. _Vitani, you have done well. But much more will be asked of you. _

Suddenly, the Outsiders began shouting amongst each other. Soon, they were all in retreat and heading back to her as fast as possible. Zira's fury was evident in her voice. "Why are they retreating? Why are they retreating!"

She never saw Tanabi coming, as he had gotten behind the lines and outflanked her. It was not until she heard heavy splashing and labored breathing that she turned to her right. Her eyes widened as a huge lion came charging at her. He jumped, paws wide and claws unsheathed. "Remember me, Zira!"

The wind was nearly knocked out of her as Tanabi tackled Zira and drove her deep into the ground. Pain shot up her legs and chest immediately, and Zira let out a cry of pain. The hit was bone-crushing, and she was sure that some ribs were broken. She looked up at a snarling Tanabi, eyes glowing in the dark night. He was about to kill her when she barely let out the word. "Cessation."

Tanabi brought himself back up. _Tell me I did not just hear that._ "You had your cessation back at the gorge."

Zira tried to speak, but even her breathing was painful. "We never…called it. It was a voluntary rest. You had yours…now, we're calling ours."

Tanabi wanted to end this, but he knew she was right in this. The Outsiders never formally called for cessation, and the Pride Landers were in no mood to argue at that time. He would honor the royal code and allow the cessation. Tanabi took in a deep breath before letting out an eardrum-splitting roar.

Everyone seemed to stop in their tracks from it, before resuming their run back to Tanabi. The lion turned to face them and shouted. "Cessation has been called! Both sides must stand down and rejoin their lines!"

Nala, Kovu, and Kiara led the cheers as the Pride Landers celebrated that things were finally going their way for once. Vitani, on the other hand, was mentally kicking herself. She had done so well in this battle, and now it seemed like an afterthought. She had only made one mistake, and it ended up being the most critical mistake made for either side. It had occurred at the worst possible time, opening up for the worst case scenario to happened.

The Outsiders had fought their best ninety minutes of their lives, but they couldn't overcome their ten worst. And, perhaps, the worst miscommunication and blown assignment of the entire night.

* * *

Zira watched as the Pride Landers regrouped. They now seemed in firm control of the fight, and it all happened in ten minutes. She looked at Vitani and the others. They all expressed fatigue, shock, and most of all, panic. Nothing had turned out the way things were planned. Nothing. The Outsiders had started out strong, but did not put their enemy away for good. A loud cheer in the distance from the people only emphasized the failure.

Walking towards Vitani, Zira hissed. "I assume you won't let things get that close again, Vitani."

The young lioness didn't know what to say. "I'm sorry, Mother. I made a mistake and tried to correct it. Not everybody heard the correction and Tanabi got through."

Zira just stared at all of them in bewilderment. "I don't know how it always happens with you. You start off so good, but you let them back into this fight. We need to put them away and kill them right here and now."

"What do you want us to do, Zira?"

"How do you kill a snake?"

The lionesses looked among themselves. Some seemed to have the answer, but weren't sure if it was the right one. Finally, one of the lionesses spoke up. "You cut the head off?"

"Exactly," Zira answered. She pointed at the wounded Simba in the distance. "We need to buy ourselves an advantage. If we can get to Simba, we need to kill him quickly. If we kill him quickly, it will cause confusion among the ranks of the Pride Landers. That confusion and discombobulating state might be what we need to overturn this battle in our favor."

"Good, because our cessation is just about up," Vitani said. "The Pride Landers are getting ready for battle."

"Alright, you know your jobs and you know the drill," Zira said. "Let's end this." The Outsiders formed a line to match the Pride Landers. Both lines closed in and face each other once again. It was clear on both sides that as far as energy goes, they were all on life-support. Two roars from either side signaled the resumption of the fight. The Outsiders set their sights on Simba, who was lagging back and clearly less aware of his surroundings. They knew that his injuries were taking their toll on him, and it was now effecting his mental state. The two sides met and kept on fighting.

One mistake can change everything. The Pride Landers had proved it, the Outsiders were determined to repay them in kind. They did.

A gap showed for a quick moment in the Pride Landers' line, but it was more than enough. A lioness got through, and there was nothing between her and Simba but the open field. She took off in a sprint, desperate to end this battle. The lionesses finally noticed, and retreated to chase down the unguarded Outsider. The crowd, who had been able to smile for the first time all night, saw it, and dropped their jaws in absolute shock at the sudden breakdown in the line.

The surreal sequence began when Kiara drifted too far from Xolani, allowing a gap just big enough for the Outsider lioness to jar herself through. After the breakthrough, the most heads-up move came from the Pride Landers' prince, Tanabi. Tanabi had been lagging behind, waiting for another hole to open up so he could plunge through and take the fight directly to Zira. When he saw the breakthrough in the line, he immediately ran back to be the last line of defense. With everyone else being occupied with an Outsider, Tanabi may have been the fastest lion to reach the lioness, and the only one with a chance to stop her. Of all the things the lion had done in this fight, none was bigger than this particular stop.

He ran after her, and when it seemed as though she was going to pull away, Tanabi got the wind for the final sprint. He managed to jump on top of her just long enough for the lioness to lose her balance and fall. Tanabi's last gasp grab saved his father's life. Simba was in no condition to keep fighting, and losing the king would be a devastating blow. However, the Pride Landers were back where they started and the Outsiders were given new life.

Kiara was upset with herself. She knew she was the reason the Outsiders were let back into this fight. Now, she was trying so hard to make up for her critical mistake. She focused on holding back the lioness in front of her, and hoped that she wasn't going to be the downfall of her father.

The tide turned even more, when the lionesses of Simba's pride were being overrun by the Outsiders. Zira, who was still in pain from Tanabi's attack, focused her eyes solely on Simba. A few lionesses of hers were occupying him and the lionesses protecting Simba. Her gaze was locked on no one but the king. "Simba…you're mine…"

She walked towards him, keeping herself slow and casual. No one seemed to pay her any mind, mainly because they were too busy with the rest of the Outsiders. Zira walked until she was too close for anyone to stop her. She took off in a run, ignoring the burning pain and focusing on Simba alone. Simba had just knocked a lioness off his back when Zira swung her paw at him. The blow was enough to knock Simba on his back.

Time seemed to freeze as everyone stopped fighting. Somehow, they seemed to notice a duel between their two leaders. For whatever reason, they thought that the winner of this duel would determine the outcome of the battle. They all broke from their individual attacks and circled the two.

Zira circled around, forcing Simba to do the same. The two leaders, two longtime enemies, prepared to do battle. Simba knew there was no backing out of this. He had to put aside his pain and focus on Zira. But he knew he had one advantage: Zira was hurting just as much as him. The Outsiders could've put the Pride Landers away early. The Pride Landers could've iced the battle only a few minutes ago. Now, it was going to come down to the two leaders.

Simba narrowed his eyes. _I wish it didn't come down to this, but the point of no return has passed. _He kept a firm eye on Zira, but was also making sure that none of her posse tried anything funny. He needed to play defensive, so he would wait for her move.

Zira huffed and bared her teeth. She was biding her time for the right moment. Her patience had paid off in some cases, but when they didn't, it was very costly. She was on edge, but if she wanted to kill Simba, her timing would have to be perfect. _Wait for the first sense of distraction in his eyes, then pounce. I've got to go for the throat immediately._ The hourglass in her mind was trickling down to the final seconds and she readied herself for an attack.

VVVVVRRRRRRROOOOOOOOMMMMMM!

Before either leader could make a move, the Outsiders' comeback hopes for victory were ruined by the latest in a long line of Pride Lander heroes. Flying above them was the sound of a familiar ship. With their natural night vision, all of the felines could see the huge ship flying above them and settling down on the outskirts of the circle.

Zira knew who it was, and her dreams of reclaiming the lands were now gone. She was now seething in anger. "NO! It can't be him! Not now!"

The _**Paratus Preliator **_opened up on the side, the ramp descending. Before it finished descending, a figure popped out. A figure everyone knew, a figure who no one expected to see only a few days after leaving. Flanking him on both sides were seven lionesses, one king cheetah, and five lions. There was no way the Outsiders were going to win with the Pride Landers having a fresh set of reinforcements.

Danny walked forward and spread his arms out wide. "Hello guys! We're back!"

Simba limped his way towards his brother. "Took you long enough to get back here, Danny. I can see you succeeded in rescuing Mother and everyone else."

"Well, the story is long and bizarre, but we'll talk about it another time to explain." Danny set got down on one knee. He saw Zira move and drew his pistol, aiming it at her. "Don't even think about it."

Zira knew that tone of voice. He was not in the mood for jokes or tricks; Danny meant business. She knew this time he would shoot if she made a move, unlike the last few times.

Danny placed a hand on Simba. "I'm so glad you're still alive, little brother. I know it's only been a few days, but it seems more like a year. You did a great job in holding out for as long as possible." He finally embraced Simba, who returned the gesture.

Simba smiled, but his voice was heavy. "I'm glad to see you again, Danny. However, this holding out did come at a price. We lost a few lionesses, including Dembe."

At hearing this news, Danny closed his eyes. Yet another lioness he considered a close friend was gone, lost to this pointless conflict. Normally, he would be angry at Zira for all of this. But now, he was more focused than ever at trying to convince her to change. He let go of Simba. "She's in a better place, Simba. Besides, she's got a lot of family and friends waiting for her."

"I hear that," Simba said. He turned to see his son walking up towards him. "Speaking of which, there's someone you need to meet."

Danny looked at the lion approaching him. He had a similar mane color to Simba's, but it was more ragged than the former's ever was. He didn't recognize the lion at all, so he looked at the lion while speaking to Simba. "So who is this newcomer?"

Tanabi smiled at Danny. "Hi, Uncle Danny. It's been a while."

_Uncle Danny?_ Danny pondered these words for a split second, before his face went white. He thought he was going to go into cardiac arrest. He grabbed his nephew by the mane, making sure he wasn't seeing a ghost. Danny felt tears of joy well up in his eyes. "Is it really you, Tanabi?"

The young lion smirked a little. "The one and the same."

Without thinking, Danny wrapped Tanabi in a tight hug. Of all the years dealing with the loss of his first nephew, that pain was now dissolved. He couldn't even feel any hatred towards Zira for this, since he now knew she didn't kill him. This day kept getting better and better, and Danny was glad there was still some rain because he didn't want anyone to see his tears. "I missed you so much, Tanabi. I thought you were dead."

Tanabi, even though he was a lion, found it a little straining to breathe under Danny's hug. "Death and I don't get along so well, so we broke up."

A loud clearing of the throat caused them to turn around. "Touchy reunion, but this changes nothing. Nothing at all."

Simba looked Zira square in the eyes. "It's over, Zira."

She laughed. "Over? It's not over."

Danny holstered his pistol and spoke calmly. "It's over, Zira. You and your lionesses are exhausted, as are ours. But we have fresh fighters and you don't. Going on is pointless and suicide; you'd all die."

Zira snarled. "I'd rather fight you and risk dying than to let you win."

"You don't have to die, Zira." Danny walked over to her. Everyone, even Zira, wanted to know what he was doing. "You can have a second chance with us."

Now everyone thought he was going insane, except for those who were with him on the ship and Simba. Zira laughed. "Are you asking me to rejoin you and you'd be willing to forgive me? If so, then you are more deluded than I thought."

"Please, Zira. I've lost so many friends and family in the last few years. I'm tired of it, and I don't want to lose anyone else…even you." Zira's eyebrows rose as he stood up and continued to speak, only he addressed the entire pride. "Everyone listen. We have a more important issue at hand. Some of you have heard of Dasyu. I've mentioned it to some of you, others know him from first-hand experience." He saw the looks on Sarabi and the other lionesses who were captured.

"Dasyu has been slowed down, but he hasn't been stopped. He plans to wipe out all of us and sweep through these lands like a plague. He will come through the Pridelands and kill us; those he doesn't kill, he will use to become his little pet projects."

He started walking around, looking at each of them. "We're gonna have enough problems with Dasyu in the future without fighting amongst each other. If we are to survive, we need to face him as a united pride. As long as the pride remains divided, there is no winner. There's only dead and alive, which will soon turn to dead if we don't stop Dasyu before he kills us."

"What are you saying?" Nala asked.

"I'm saying we need to unite together as one." He looked at all of the lionesses who had been exiled years ago. "You all took part in an insurrection that had cost lives and resulted in two cubs being stolen from two parents. That was your mistake." He turned to the Pride Landers. "But our mistake is thinking that these lionesses are not us. But these are our flesh and blood."

That still sounded weird to him because he wasn't a true-born lion, but they were family. "I think everyone deserves a second chance in life. So I say we forgive them and let them rejoin the pride. Let bygones be bygones and practice a little forgive-and-forget."

Everyone on both sides were at a loss for words. No one made a sound, no movement was made except for eyes. They were all looking at each other and wondering what to do. Was Danny actually asking the Outsiders to be a part of the pride once again? The lost lives couldn't be regained, but current lives would be saved. The hardest part to all of this was taking the first step, and it seemed no one was going to.

A loud laugh from Zira didn't help matters. "You think we're just gonna say yes and be subjected to you? I think we'd rather take our chances in fighting you."

Danny looked at the Outsiders. "Do you want to keep fighting? Do you want to go up against even greater odds and die?" He was glad no one responded, because he needed to finish. "I don't want to lose anyone, and that includes you. I'm sick of death, and I want you to be part of the family again. As king, I am willing to forgive you and allow to rejoin the pride. You no longer have to be Outsiders anymore."

Xolani was shaking at what Danny was saying. He was actually willing to forgive them of their past and allow them back into the Pride Lands. "Danny, whose side are you on?" She asked.

Danny snapped his head around to face her. "I'm not anyone's side in this. You've got to admit, we've all made mistakes. They've rebelled against us, and we are unwilling to give them a second chance. So based on the past and the direction we're heading, _something needs to change_."

"I don't want to change!" Zira came in shouting.

This was frustrating Danny. All he wanted was to show the same loving kindness, shown to him by the Lord, to the entire pride. Unfortunately, not everyone was on board with this whole idea. If he couldn't convince them, the fight would resume and more lives would be lost. The hardest one to convince was Zira. She was the matriarch of the Outsiders and pretty set in her ways. She still believed that Scar was the rightful king of the Pride Lands. If Danny was to convince her, it would be through love.

He faced Zira again. With no other choice, he would have to tell her about Taka, and show what happened to him and the others. "The reason I'm doing this is because someone told me about this. Someone you know very well, Zira."

"Who?"

"When we faced Dasyu, we were all killed in the fight to rescue Sarabi and the other lionesses. Now, I don't know what happened with them, but I came face-to-face with all of the dead of our pride. I even came face-to-face with Taka."

"You mean Scar?" Zira corrected.

"He called himself Taka when I saw him. After everything he had done, he asked for forgiveness before he died and was forgiven. If the Creator was able to forgive him, I was able to forgive him. He warned me of the upcoming destruction and that you would be caught up in it. Taka cares for you and doesn't want to see you die apart from the others."

"You saw Scar?" This caused Zira to laugh.

"I know it's difficult to understand."

Zira stopped laughing. "No, it's easy to understand. You're out of your mind. Do you really expect me to believe that garbage? That you died, saw Scar in the afterlife, and he told you to convince me to join the pride?"

"Before I left, did I ever sound like I would forgive you and let you back into the Pride Lands?"

He had her there. She knew what the answer was, but didn't want to acknowledge it. Still, she answered. "No, you didn't. That's why I think you've gone mad."

"I'm perfectly sane, Zira. But I'm telling you the truth about this. I don't just make these things up as I go. This actually happened to me and all of the others. Sarabi, Ebere, Berhane, Kula, Aziza, and Shani can all tell you the same thing, because they were the only ones who weren't killed."

Sarabi came up to Zira. "It's true. I watched Danny get killed with my own eyes from the prison we were in. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't have believed it."

"So how am I supposed to believe that? This is not something I've seen."

Danny knew it was going to come down to this, so he stood up. He was going to have to show what was given to him to everyone. It was going to impress some, shock others, but all of them would be amazed. "This is what was given to me when I came back to this world." He took a deep breath. "Morph."

Zira watched Danny change from a human to an intimidating golden lion in a second. Her jaw dropped. _No! That's impossible!_ He was one of them now. She knew he never had that before, and it only supported his bizarre explanation of the afterlife. But if he's telling the truth, then what was she going to do? No matter what, Scar was never coming back again. She knew that.

Danny looked around at everyone. All of them had dropped their jaws, unable to move or say anything at all. Seeing him like this was a total shock that shook them right down to their psyche. He knew it was going to take adjusting on everyone's part, but everything would be alright. He turned back to Zira. "Morph." He changed back to his human form. "Zira, we've all lost someone. You lost Taka, Sarabi lost Mufasa, I lost my entire family. I say we put an end to the losses."

He was hoping for Zira to change and come back to the pride. If she did, it would send shockwaves through the people, the pride, and her group of Outsiders. But the pride would be united once again, with growing pains of adjustment. Danny waited for Zira to answer and make her decision. Both sides looked at her expectantly; no one moved except for their eyes. Danny felt adrenaline rush through him. _Come on, Zira._

She jumped at Danny. "Never!" Zira tackled Danny to the ground and pinned him with her paws, making sure his hand couldn't reach his pistol. "I'll never let go of my past!" She growled and looked up into the air. "This is for you, Scar."

She was going to sink her teeth into Danny's neck, but they never found their target. Kiara came running and knocked Zira off of him. They both rolled around and fell off the edge of the gorge. They both were locked onto each other, but broke apart upon impact with a pillar.

Danny was getting up as Simba and Kovu ran to the edge. Simba was petrified for his daughter. "Kiara!" Kovu was not much better off, with the love of his life falling to her death. Simba prepared to jump. "Kiara, I'm coming!"

He never left the ground. He felt two hands grab his mane and hold him as best as he could. Danny used all of his strength to hold Simba back. "Hang on, Simba!"

Simba shook him off. "Let go of me! I have to save Kiara."

"You're not going anywhere, pal," Danny said.

"Yeah? Watch me."

Danny stepped in front of him. "Simba, you're too badly hurt from the fight. Let me go down there." He knew Simba would have no choice in this. If he tried with his injuries, he would die and Kiara would go down as well.

Simba relaxed a little, but he waved down at Kiara with his paw. "Fine, but hurry."

Realizing it was up to him and the other Preliators, Danny looked back at the other Preliators. He waved them all over. "Let's go everyone. Transform now!" The others obeyed, and the pride was once again amazed to see their fellow pride members change from lions to robotic forms of different color variations. They all ran to Danny's position.

Danny looked down the gorge. It wasn't long before he could figure out where they had ended up. Kiara had fallen to an outcropping jutting out from the gorge, while Zira had fallen just a little farther, hanging off the wall of the outcropping thanks to her claws digging into the compact sediment. Both appeared unhurt, at least from the fall.

Tojo looked down at the gorge to where the two lionesses were at, and then back to Danny. "What do you want to do?"

The Preliator leader turned to him. "I want you to get a long rope. There should be a few in the ship. Send it down so that it's directly above Kiara's spot. When I get both of them, I'm going to tie the rope around their chests. Pull them up as they climb, but only to support them. If you pull too hard, it might hinder their breathing, so be careful. All of you are going to have to pull as best as you can. Chumvi, tie the other end of the rope around your waist so that the rope won't go flying away if you all lose grip."

"What about you?" Haraka asked.

"Go grab the rope and my two combat knives. Then I'll tell you."

Haraka took off and was inside the _**Paratus Preliator **_in less than thirty seconds. In less than two minutes timing, he was back out with a long coil of rope on his shoulder and two knives in either hand. Danny knew the king cheetah was fast, but he didn't think Haraka was _this_ fast. He handed the two knives to Danny.

"Thanks, Haraka." Danny walked over to the edge of the gorge.

"So what are _you_ doing in this whole plan?" Haraka asked.

Danny stabbed both knives into the wall of the gorge with relative ease. He turned around and winked at Haraka. "I'm going for a little rock rappel."

He felt a hand on his shoulder. Danny turned around to face a concerned Zainabu. "Just be careful, Danny."

Danny kissed her on the cheek. "Just keep the coffee ready for me. I'll be back in no time."

Off to the side, Danny heard a crashing noise. The dam from the logs finally broke, and the water came flooding out. The dry ground in the gorge was now a compact tsunami. The water was moving at an incredible speed, and with the logs flowing with it, anyone that fell in there would probably not come out. Danny sighed. "Just another challenge."

He grabbed one knife and swung down to grab the other one. This was going to be a serious strain on his upper body and forearms, but he was confident he could take it. Danny yanked one knife out and stuck it into the sediment near his waist. Once it was firmly in, he repeated the process with the other knife, and began working his way down.

* * *

Kiara slid to a stop. She kept her claws dug into the wall, because she wasn't sure if there was any ground below her aside from the gorge bottom. When she looked down, Kiara noticed that a rock shelf was directly below her hind legs. _Oh, thank God. _The lioness set herself down and took in a deep breath. She knew she was alive, but she was in deep trouble and so was Zira.

Kiara looked down to see Zira barely hanging on for dear life along the outcropping Kiara was standing on. To make matters worse, the gorge dam had opened up, and now the once dry gorge was now a raging river. She could swear she heard her mother's voice, but soon she heard her uncle's.

"Kiara, I'm almost there! Hang on!"

She looked up to see Danny climbing his way down. He was about twenty five feet from her, but he was moving at a slow pace. Kiara knew that she would have to help Zira in order to save her life. It was crazy, but saving the senior lioness was the right thing to do. _Uncle Danny has really rubbed off on me._ She got down on her belly and stretched out a paw to Zira. "Zira, give me your paw."

Zira growled and took a swipe at her. That was a stupid mistake; it put extra tension on her locked claw, and she began sliding down the wall. There were a few cracks here and there, but she kept sliding through them. She was running out of rock, and then she would fall to her death.

Kiara insisted and stretched her paw out as far as she could. "Zira, come on. I'll help you."

Now Zira refused not out of anger, but out of fear. She was afraid that if she reached up, her other paw would not hold on. Her common sense and reasoning had abandoned her as survival instinct took over. But it did her little good, as she continued to slide. Zira's claws dug in on the last few inches but finally reached the end, and she began to fall.

Like a blur, Danny had reached down to Kiara's location and jumped down. He grabbed Zira's hind leg with his left hand, letting go of the knife in that hand and letting it fall into the river, and dug the knife into his right hand into the wall. Because he was dropping, he couldn't place the knife as deeply as he would've liked. It held firmly, but the sediment was breaking around it under the combined weight of the man and lioness.

Danny looked down at Zira. She was surprised to see Danny saving her life as evidenced by her expression. "Hang on, Zira. My knife's in the rock, but I'm not sure how long it will stay. We just have to hang on for a little while. Help's going to be here."

The knife jerked, and pieces of the sediments began to crack and break from the wall. It wouldn't be long before the knife came out.

Zira saw that. "Our weight's too much. Release me, Danny. Let…me…fall…and save…yourself." The pain from the injuries were hurting her, and it effected her speaking as well.

Despite the tension and pain from holding both his and her weight, Danny managed a mirthless chuckle. "Now where's the loving kindness in doing that?" No sooner than he said that, pain began to shoot up his arm. The tension was becoming unbearable, and his arm began to quiver. Soon his whole body was shaking. He closed his eyes. _Please, God. Help me out here._

The lioness knew the reality of the situation. "You have no choice in this."

Before he left to rescue the six lionesses from Dasyu, Danny wouldn't have thought twice about it. He would've released her and let her plummet into the river below. Heck, he wouldn't have even climbed down if it weren't for Kiara. But the new Danny had a change of heart, and a whole new meaning on the word love. He shook his head and opened his eyes to look at her face. "Then we…both go down."

The knife broke free from its hold.

* * *

**I know it's another cliffhanger, people. But that's the joy of stories. Hope this was a more detailed fight than the movie ever was. Later!**


	33. Home is Where Your Family Is

**Okay, this is the final chapter to my story. It's hard to believe it's taken me a year and a half to do this. Feels like a lifetime for me, and I'm pretty sure it's been the same for many of you. Let's see if we can crack the 200 review mark. Please don't double review just for that. I appreciate it, but it's better to do this the right way. Enjoy this chapter and please, PLEASE look at what I have to say at the end of this conclusion…**

* * *

Danny let out a shout as they both began to fall to the river below. Everything seemed to flash before his eyes in an instant. Mufasa's death, Taka's rise and fall, Tanabi's "death", Kiara's escapade from the wildfire. It was all so sudden, and he had no time to comprehend the flashbacks as Kiara's face began shrinking from view as he and Zira fell down to the river. He wasn't sure what happened next, but his fall came much sooner than he expected, and he surely wasn't expecting to land on something hard. He was expecting to feel wet, but didn't. _What in the world…?_

He looked around. He and Zira weren't in the water, but on the main body of Bren's Blade. While Danny was fine, Zira was, again, hanging on an edge for dear life; this time, it was the Blade's wing. Danny crawled over to her and began pulling her up. "You think you were gonna get rid of us _that_ easily, Zira?"

She let out a mirthless chuckle. "I didn't think a king of the Pride Lands would help an Outsider."

"Maybe I got confused," Danny replied. "Must've been the fall." He hauled her on top of the Blade's mainframe and laid back, resting on his elbows. Relief and jubilation stimulated every sense and nerve in Danny's body. He looked at Bren, who was raising the canopy and pointed at Danny.

"I guess this is a good way to make up for you sparing my life. So do two times make me even?"

"Bren, I'm not going to argue with you, but nice job with the timing and subtlety. I thought we were dead."

"What? And make my life boring? I don't think so, man." Bren laughed. "Well, now that you two are alive, shall I bring you back up there?"

"What about Kiara, the other lioness?" Danny asked.

Bren shrugged. "I can't take her right now. It would be too much weight for my ship to lift up out of this gorge."

Danny pointed at Kiara's position. "Let me off there. I'll climb the rope back up. You take the two lionesses and set them back up on the field."

"Done deal," Bren replied.

The Blade listed to the left and stopped by Kiara. Danny hopped off and told Kiara to get on and let Bren take her back up with Zira. She complied and got on the wing of the Blade. As the ship lifted off, Danny grabbed the rope that had been sitting there for a while and gave it a tug. The rope went taut, indicating all of the Preliators still held a grip on it. Danny grabbed it and began climbing back up. It was a breeze walking up with the support from the others; he almost felt like running up the side of the wall. He reached the top of the cliff and was helped up by the others.

There, he was greeted by a deafening cheer. The pride had surrounded him, and the people had been cheering at him from a distance. Even though he was catching his breath and letting the adrenaline wear off, Danny couldn't help but smile. It took a while to earn the respect from the people, but that finally came full circle. Even though he was still considered a human, he was their king. Now, they seemed to be acknowledging that.

Zainabu came up and kissed him full on the mouth. As Danny wrapped her up in his arms, he heard the pride give a bunch of loving sighs, mostly from the females. The guys were saying statements like, "It's about time." Danny wanted to laugh at those, but held it in. As he broke off the kiss, he saw Simba approach.

Danny's brother was nothing but happy. "Thanks for saving Kiara, Danny. How are you feeling?"

Danny let out a sigh. "I need a vacation."

Everyone laughed at this, but soon stopped as the pride parted for two lionesses to come forward. One was Kiara, who came running up to Danny and giving him a niece-like nuzzle. She moved to do the same for her father, and an even more loving one for Kovu. Danny smiled as the two young lions shared their love for each other, but soon turned his attention to the second lioness approaching him.

Zira walked up to Danny. She still bore something of a glare, but the heat and intensity she had displayed earlier was now gone. Danny let go of Zainabu and walked towards her. He got down on one knee to have level eye contact.

The lioness shook her head, but a smile cracked on her face. "I don't know what it is with you. First, you're one thing and then you're another."

"Call it a change of heart, Zira."

"Well, that being said, I still don't see a reason to join you. You did kill my love, after all."

Danny hung his head. _What does it take to convince her? _He sighed. Perhaps, there was nothing more he could do. But just as he was about to give up all hope, he looked into the pride and saw Sarabi. It was just then, he remembered something Mufasa had told Danny long ago when Mufasa was still the king. He looked back at Zira. "He told me about you, Zira."

"I'm sure Scar did, Danny," Zira said, sounding a little exasperated.

"Not Taka, Zira. It was Mufasa who told me about you, long ago when I first got here. He told me how their father Ahadi showed favoritism to Mufasa and all but shunned Taka when he started noticing bad qualities in the latter. I had said that was wrong to do that, and those actions by Ahadi changed Taka. I also heard about how you felt left out by Sarabi and Sarafina. You were alone, sad, and unloved. Then Taka showed friendship and love to you, and you two would spend every bit of free time together."

Zira tensed. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes you do," Danny rebuked. "You know every time you look at Sarabi." He looked over at Sarabi. The lioness was hanging her head in sadness. She knew that it was true, and that she and Sarafina could've done better at that. Xolani, Ebere, and Berhane knew a little about it, but not that much. The rest didn't know anything at all about that, and were all looking at the two oldest lionesses expectantly. Danny looked at Zira again. "That can all change for you Zira. You can be loved again. It may take awhile, but it will happen. Do you agree with me, Sarabi?"

Sarabi pawed the ground. "Zira, I'm sorry for the way Sarafina and I acted around you when we were young. If you'd give me that second chance to make up for that, I will give you a second chance as well."

"And if no one else will show you love, I certainly will," Danny said. He placed his hands on either side of Zira's face. "Please, Zira. I don't want to lose you when you can have a chance to be loved and enjoy the rest of your life."

He stared deeply into her red eyes. They didn't show any signs of evil, malice, or hatred at all. All they showed was confusion, guilt, and sadness. Zira could see the sincerity, gentleness and compassion in Danny's eyes, and knew it wasn't a ploy or a ruse; his feelings were valid. Her glare lifted completely from her face, and felt a change inside of her.

Something inside of her broke. For the first time in what seemed like ages for her and for the first time Danny had ever witnessed, Zira broke down crying.

Danny wrapped her in a hug as the tears began to fall down her face. He felt a few tears well up in his eyes from this moment as well. Sarabi came up to Zira and embraced her in tearful fashion. Simba, Nala, Kiara, Kovu, and Tanabi all came up and embraced Zira in an effort to comfort her and show that they were willing to give her a second chance.

For everyone else, this was absolutely ground-shaking and earth-quaking. Few ever believed Zira had it in her to feel anything other than hate and greed. To see her breaking down like this was like Hell freezing over in the minds of the populace.

Zira lifted her head back and looked Danny square in the eyes. "Danny, from the bottom of my heart, I am so sorry for what I've done. I feel so terrible for everything."

"It's okay, Zira. I forgive you. One thing's for sure, I plan to make up for things as well. But what's past stays there, and we'll move forward from this moment on."

Zira smiled. Her smile was another first, as it wasn't an evil, smug smile. It was full of joy and happiness. "God Bless you, Danny. I can't thank you enough."

Danny' smile widened a bit, and then faded. "Thanks, but with this second chance comes something hard. It comes with confession of something to two lions here, and asking for forgiveness from four individuals."

She knew that he was referring to Vitani and Kovu. It was going to be hard for her, but she would have to follow through with it. Zira looked among the pride. "Kovu, Vitani, come here." She watched as the two came forward towards her. Kovu looked as though he knew what she was going to say. Vitani looked confused. Zira felt as though her throat was closing, refusing to let any air out. Still, she had to say it.

"I'm so sorry, but…I'm not your mother."

It didn't surprise her to see that Vitani's expression registered disbelief, but Kovu just simply nodded as though he had deducted it to be the truth while he was in the Pride Lands. Zira explained before either could say anything. "I had kidnapped you when you were recently born, after I had staged a rebellion against Simba and Danny. I gave you a cover story by saying that I birthed you after mating with a rogue, but that's not true." She found Kula and Tojo, who had gone back to his lion form. Zira pointed at them. "Tojo and Kula are your real parents. They allowed me to raise you when I took you, and threatened your lives when they and Danny confronted me after the insurrection."

Vitani looked like she was going to cry. "You mean that you kidnapped us, threatened our lives, and raised us completely on lies?"

Zira nodded. "I'm so sorry." She walked to Tojo and Kula, who were waiting for her to say something to them. Zira couldn't bring herself to look up at their eyes. "I'm so sorry for what I've done to the two of you. I can never give back the three years that you've had to live without your children. Would you ever be able to forgive me?"

Tojo was the first to speak. "I forgive you for what you've done, Zira. It will take a while for you to gain our trust, but I forgive you."

Kula looked into Zira's eyes. If eyes were lasers, Zira would be a blackened statue. "What you did was terrible, taking my children away from us, but I forgive you too. But it will take some time before I can trust you, more than it will with Tojo."

"At least the forgiveness is a start, thank you both." Zira finally turned to the two lions she had kidnapped. "Kovu, Vitani, would you be able to forgive me for my actions towards you?"

"I forgive you, Zira," Kovu said. "Everyone makes mistakes in life, but thankfully, you can learn from it instead of the mistakes costing your life."

"You truly will make a wise prince and king, Kovu," Zira said, before looking at Vitani. "Would you also be able to forgive me, Vitani?"

The young lioness was still trying to contain her anger and pain. Everything she had been trained and bred for was a lie, and Zira was the culprit for that. She was a long time in responding. "No…"

The response was not what Danny nor Zira wanted to hear, but it was expected after everything. Not everyone was going to just up and forgive her. Zira hung her head. "I understand."

Vitani looked up. "…not yet. I will forgive you in time, but not yet. My emotions are running too wild for me to make a firm decision now."

Zira's face brightened a little. "I look forward to that day. Until then, I will do everything in my power to regain your trust." She turned around to face the rest of the pride. "I will do everything in my power to regain _all_ of your trust." She lowered her voice. "But I hope that you will give me a chance to do that, by accepting my apology and forgiving me for my actions, my sins."

Zainabu made the first step. "I forgive you, Zira. Let's start fresh."

"I second that," Nala said.

"Chumvi and I forgive you," Aziza chimed in.

One by one, almost every lioness, both Outsider and Pride Lander, forgave her and settled to a fresh start. Some said they might forgive her in time, like Vitani, and would wait until their emotions were cleared and would then make a decision. They were too upset right now, and didn't want to act impulsively, whether it was negative or positive.

Zira smiled at them. "Thank you all."

Danny took over from there. "With that in mind, can we all forgive each other and start fresh here?" He let a smile escape his face, as the Pride Landers all nodded. He looked at the band of Outsiders. He could make them out from their malnourishment. "Would you like to rejoin the pride as sisters once again?"

One by one, the lionesses nodded in agreement. Simba and Nala watched with beaming smiles, Simba especially. His heart was soaring at what Danny had done. He had convinced Zira to change, but it didn't stop at just her. Danny had changed Simba, his mother, Nala, and many others. He had hatred and bitterness towards Zira, but even he had to change. He wasn't completely innocent in this, and Danny had helped him see that. It was amazing how love and forgiveness could change someone, and he had experienced it first-hand. Simba knew Danny was a rare type of person, but this was beyond amazing. Now, the pride was reunited, each with a fresh start and new heart.

Sarabi came up and nuzzled Simba. "How've you been, my son?"

He seemed to gleam with pride as he looked at her. "Couldn't be better, Mom. Couldn't…be…better."

Just then, the clouds moved apart. The darkness was lifted and bright, glorious light replaced it. It was like a light they had never experience, and caused everyone to jump in celebration.

After seven years, the Pride Lands were back the way they were. The pride was now one.

* * *

The pride and the people all gathered together at Pride Rock. Danny and Bren landed their ships at the summit and came down together at the mouth of the cave. The rest of the pride gathered around in a circle, with Haraka, Timon, Pumbaa, and Zazu just outside the ring. Simba and Nala watched from the opposite side as Rafiki performed the marriage ritual, that was started long ago, with Kiara and Kovu. When the first king and queen of the Pride Lands were married, the shaman would carry it out by having them exchange vows in the presence of the bride and groom and the parents only. Vows had already been exchanged, and Rafiki shook his gourd stick, a signal that the two were now married.

Simba watched on with pride at seeing his daughter get married. Nala was equally happy, and Tanabi and Kopa both smiled. Vitani sat close to Tanabi and they both smiled at each other. Simba caught it, and knew there was something between them. He just hoped it wouldn't be as pressuring as Kiara and Kovu's relationship had been. Kiara and Kovu were now nuzzling each other with love and affection.

Now it was Danny and Zainabu's turn. This was something everyone had been waiting for years to see. If not for the bizarre turn of events that had occurred, they probably would never have gotten married. Everyone was commenting on how young Zainabu looked, and she blushed every time Danny smiled at her. Unlike the ancient ritual, Danny wanted to do it his way. Zainabu was more than happy to go along with it, as she just wanted to get married to the love of her life.

One big difference was that Simba would begin the invocation Danny asked for, so he had to take some time to learn a few lines. But when he made his speech, it went flawlessly. He cracked a few jokes on the two of them, but kept to the focus point. Rafiki took over from there and asked the two to give their vows.

Danny and Zainabu had quickly discussed who would go first, and decided that Danny should be the first one. He faced her and kept his composure, though he couldn't keep a smile from his face. "Zainabu, when I first came here, I never thought things would turn out the way they did. The prospect of being married was in the back of my mind, on the bare fringes. The only thing on my mind was to find my family and get them home. When I met you, I only considered you a friend, and nothing more."

Zainabu's eyes glowed as Danny continued. "But then I realized you were genuinely interested in me. You wanted to learn more about me, what I did back home, what education was, what types of activities I did for entertainment. I've been so desperate for man to man conversation, and though you were a lioness at that time, you had greatly helped. My respect for you turned to friendship, and that friendship blossomed into love."

"Zainabu, I love you and will marry you. I will cherish every moment I have with you, vow to love you for the rest of my life, and to sleep in your arms." Unfortunately, Danny did not have a ring to give her; there wasn't exactly a jewelry store right around the corner. Thankfully she didn't mind.

In fact, her problem was what was bothering her. She had never done this before and was very nervous. "Maybe I should've gone before you." A couple light laughs were heard as she began her vows. "Daniel Manning, before I ever met you, I believed my life was going to be that of a simple lioness. One who would go on hunts, bring back food, and help ensure the protection of the pride. The fact that I'm now a hybrid of a human and a lioness is a bizarre turn of events that I never even imagined would happen."

"When we met, you didn't seem like a threat at all; just a person trying to find his family. I found that a very noble and admirable cause. We were told stories about humans, but they were just myths to us because we had never seen one. You showed me that humans can be trusted, and you had saved my life on more than one occasion. But while we had bonded closely, our different species was the one border we couldn't get past."

Her smile widened, revealing white teeth. "But now that border has been crossed, and now my dream for the last few years, the dream I never thought would happen, has finally come true. Danny, I will remain loyal and faithful to you and only you. I will stand by your side in the day, sit by your side when we eat, and lay next to you in bed. I vow to do these things from now until eternity."

A sniff came from Danny, and it wasn't for humor. It was a sign of happiness, that he would finally have someone to spend close and special moments with. A couple sniffs were heard from the pride, and especially from the outside where Timon and Pumbaa. Danny looked at them and rolled his eyes. _Some things never change._

Then came to the conclusion. Rafiki smiled. "You two are a shining example for dis pride and deez people. By the power given to me from the Creator, I now pronounce you husband and wife." At seeing the two just simply staring into each other's eyes, he laughed a little. "It's customary to kiss da bride, if I'm not mistaken."

Danny pulled her in for the kiss. "I love you, Zee."

"I love you too."

And they kissed. The cheers from the pride echoed in their ears. They both smiled as they broke apart to look at the others. It took them years, but the two were finally married to each other. This was the happiest day of Danny's life, and he could only imagine it was the same for Zainabu.

Danny noticed Timon and Pumbaa crying in the back. "I love moments like this," Pumbaa said, tearfully.

"_Love_, not like, _love_!" Both of them said in unison. Then came the next global flood, as the two began bawling their eyes out. Zazu covered himself with his wings, rolling his eyes at the two misfits. Haraka just held a paw up to cover his face.

Danny laughed at the sight. It was always good to have some comedy to a marriage ceremony. He and Zainabu both morphed back into beast form and walked with Simba, Nala, Kovu, and Kiara to the top of the promontory. Tanabi stayed behind next to Vitani. Even though he was still a prince, he was not getting married. At least, not this day.

The six of them looked out among the lands, eyeing the people. It was a great and glorious day for all of them, now that the pride had been rejoined and the conflict ended. Simba let out a roar into the lands. Danny, who was still getting used to his new form, let out a roar as well. It wasn't as powerful as Simba's, but that would improve with time. Kovu let out the final roar before all six roared out into the lands. The pride all roared in response and acknowledgment to the wonderful events that were taking place, and to their leaders.

After the pride, the people let out their own cheer. It was near deafening; it felt like a Super Bowl to Danny, and the joy and excitement added to that comparison. They all were looking around at the people below, watching them celebrate to the latest victories accomplished by the kings of the Pride Lands. Danny was going to have his hands full with telling everyone the story of his adventure, but it would be worth it.

Simba looked up as the light grew even brighter, and a warm gentle breeze stirred over him. His mane waved in the breeze, and he took in the warm feeling. He wasn't sure, but he thought he heard a deep, familiar voice. "Well done, my sons. We are one."

The Pride Land was fully restored at last.

* * *

Everyone began celebrating. It was a truly spectacular moment for the citizens of the Pride Lands. Their co-leader had returned against impossible odds with the portion of the pride that had been abducted from them days ago. All of them had finally given Danny the full respect he deserved. True, he was still a human in their eyes, but he was also a lion, in form as well as heart. Many of them wanted to hear of his story, and he would tell them in time and in detail.

The people also had given Simba the same respect and submission as well. He may not have had the best fight of his life in the battle for the Pride Lands, but they all noted that he had been severely injured many hours earlier from the ambush. For him to fight through those injuries for as long and hard as he did, that required grit and incredible toughness, both physical and mental. He never gave up, and it paid off incredibly.

Danny had received the report of what had been going on in the Pride Lands. The list of casualties of the entire pride hurt him, and he was especially sad to hear that Dembe and Nuka were among the dead during his time away. Dembe had been a great friend of his since he had arrived in the Pride Lands, and to hear that she was killed hurt him. That left only Zainabu, Sarabi, Zira, Xolani, Ebere, and Berhane as the only lionesses from when he first came here.

The loss of Nuka also hurt. The son of Taka was not necessarily an evil lion in Danny's eyes, but a lost soul in need of direction. Unfortunately, the only direction was from his mother. Danny had tried to help, but Nuka mostly followed his mother's direction, and he suffered the consequences. It was a situation where he felt totally helpless in regards to the lost lion. Danny vowed to make sure that wouldn't happen to any of the future generations.

In spite of all the bad news, the good news far outweighed it. Danny had rescued his surrogate mother and the other five lionesses from Dasyu, took down an entire facility, and managed to convince, whom he thought, the most stubborn and hate-filled being he ever knew and her group of lionesses to repent of their wrongdoing and rejoin the pride. It would take awhile for everyone to adjust to Zira and the rest of the Outsiders, but Danny was sure things would turn out fine.

All of these accomplishments filled Danny with pride. He had realized why his father put him through so much when he was younger; it was to prepare him for something like this. Danny was sure his dad didn't think something like this situation would be the case, but it was close enough.

He looked around and watched everyone chatting with each other, laughing and smiling. The once-exiled lionesses mingled with the others and tried to start up some conversations and begin to mend the fences created in the past few years. Tojo, Chumvi, and Mheetu were spending time with their mates. Tojo and Kula, in particular, were spending time trying to catch up with their two children. Kovu and Vitani were finding it very awkward because of the situation, but they were doing their best to overcome it. All four of them appeared to be deep in conversation. Everyone hoped things would smooth over among the family.

Simba, Nala, Kiara, and Tanabi all took the first step in gathering some of the rejoined lionesses to talk with them and do their best to make them feel welcome again. Sarabi and the senior lionesses all gathered to chat with each other; even Zira was with them. Zainabu had went over to them to engage in conversation, and Danny didn't have a problem with that. Malka and Haraka were talking with each other, just having a guy talk. Tupac was talking with a few of the lionesses, including Tavira.

Danny frowned when he noticed one person was not among them: Bren. The soldier who defected to their cause was nowhere to be seen. He looked all around for Bren, but he would've been easy to spot; aside from Danny, he was the only one who would've been standing since the other Preliators went back to their normal forms.

Slowly, he moved away from the pride and began moving up the closest slope leading up to the Pride Rock summit. After the pride had been rejoined, Danny and Bren flew their ships over to Pride Rock and landed on the summit. If there was any place Bren would be, it would be up there.

As he came up to the top, his prediction was right. Bren was walking out of the _**Preliator**_ with some boxes in hand. He headed for his Blade and set the boxes down. Danny noticed an M4 rifle was laying on its side on the wing of the fighter craft. _What is he doing?_ He made his way towards Bren and the Blade.

When he was within twenty feet, he saw Bren look up at him. His expression was completely neutral and he didn't say anything. He just turned back to what he was doing.

Danny came closer and observed what he was doing. Bren was loading up on ammunition and grenades, and placing them in his leg pouches. It was only now that Danny wondered why a transformer would use clothing. It never dawned on him about that little quirk, but set that thought aside. Danny looked at the canopy of the Blade and noticed it was open. He looked back at Bren, looking a little confused. "You going back out there?"

Bren finished loading up and grabbed his M4. "There's soldiers out there, Danny. Soldiers who need to hear of what's going on, soldiers who will be willing to fight alongside us. I need to go out and get them." He looked out among the lands. "Besides, I don't think everyone here is going to get used to me just yet."

"Zira and her group are in the same predicament, Bren," Danny protested.

"But they're a species that has been around here for years. I'm something else."

"I can definitely relate to that. Not everyone threw roses at me for the last seven years while I was here."

Bren loaded another grenade in his chest pouch. He glanced up as Danny looked at him. Both of them knew this had to be done, and Danny wasn't going to make any more attempts to stop him. They had a job to do, and the first order of business was to recruit all who would be willing to fight alongside them. As he finished, Bren turned to face Danny. "Most of the time, us Specters are looked at as killers. Robots who feel no emotion, no remorse; we're just cold and efficient killers."

He walked over and placed a hand on Danny's shoulder. "But we're more than that, Danny. We can feel emotion, we can feel sadness and joy, humor and anger, you name it. While it may apply to a good amount of us as far as killers go, some of us actually have a conscience. You'll see when I bring some of them."

"I'm holding you to that," Danny said. "But y'all are going to need some time with these people so that they can get used to you before they have to get used to Dasyu."

"I'll make sure of that," Bren said. "Just do everything on your end to get these guys ready. We need them to be as prepared as possible, because this is going to get messy until we reach the end."

Danny didn't respond, at least not with words. He began grabbing some of the grenades and the last two pistol magazines on the Blade's hull. He loaded one into his pistol and holstered it, but he felt a hand on his forearm. He looked up at Bren. The expression on the guard's face was calm, but his shaking head was a warning to the man.

"Hey, don't even think about it. I'm better on my own with this mission and you have your own party to attend to." Bren didn't say anything else; he just hopped onto the hull and sat himself down into the cockpit. The Blade began powering up and now hovered off the ground. Bren flipped a switch and the canopy closed. He called out to Danny before the canopy sealed. "Hey, we're starting a whole new year. It's January now. Seems like we ended the last one on a great note." And the canopy sealed.

Danny didn't realize it was the 1st of January until Bren mentioned it. But he realized that despite all the failures he had endured, he finished this particular year strong, and that was the sign of a winner, a champion. He watched the Blade lift off and soar in the direction they had come from. He pursed his lips. He wasn't sure who he rescued, but his gut instinct told him he made the right choice in sparing Bren's life.

Dasyu was down, but he sure wasn't out. Most of the pride believed it was now over, as did most of the people. But for a select few, this war was just beginning.

* * *

Off in the distance, Bren set course for Facility Three. He had a job to do, and it wasn't going to be easy in any aspect. He had enough fuel to make it to Facility Three, and he would have some explaining to do at his survival. Dasyu would want to know how he had managed to escape the stronghold and outrun a nuclear explosion.

But was more difficult in his mind would be his explanations he would eventually give to Danny. He winced at the very thought. What he had done was bad, but the look on Danny's face would be hard to stand for him. Bren closed his eyes for a moment, and then took one, last look on the now distant Pride Lands. "Danny, I hope you will someday forgive me for what I've done."

* * *

Danny flew Malka and Tupac back to their respective kingdoms. Both Tama and Amiri were surprised to see the two with their new forms, and Tama seemed to be the most shocked. Malka knew it was to be expected, and his children were not much better off. But when he said that he would've been dead otherwise, they were grateful to have him alive, even if he was a little different. Tupac's brother and sister managed to handle it better, Kashore even said it was cool.

Danny flew back to the Pride Lands and took with Zainabu with him for a little ride on the speeder bike. She had never rode on the speeder bike before, and her tightly-wrapped arms around Danny's waist was a sign that she wasn't quite used to it. Danny secretly enjoyed it, but didn't say anything. He was glad she couldn't see his face, because she probably would've slapped the grin he wore right off.

Tojo, Haraka, Mheetu, and Chumvi began gathering wood for the celebration later that night, but Danny needed to leave for a decent amount of private time, and had Zainabu tag along. They headed for a special place, a place Danny hadn't been to in a long time. It was close to the borders of the Pride Lands, and it was now a special location in Danny's eyes.

It was the place where it all started for him. The piece of ground where he crash-landed seven years ago, and where the next chapter of his life began. As they got closer, Danny had noticed things still hadn't changed. The scorch marks were still stained in the dirt and the acacia tree he had broken during the crash remained unchanged. No new leaves or branches had grown on it since, and most of the grass was gone.

Danny grabbed five large pieces of rock and began setting up the rocks as headstones. Zainabu helped him out with the setting and then went back up to the bike. She knew he wanted to be left alone for a little while, and respected his wish for privacy. Danny carved out the names of each of his family members: his father Dennis, his mother Gabrielle, his two younger sisters Raechel and Callie. He placed a cross over each name, and placed his father's dog tags over his grave.

He produced the cassette recorder from his pocket. He rewound the tape to the very beginning and played it. _"Hey, dad. I know it's kind of weird talking to you when you're not here. But if you or anyone gets this tape, at least there's a recording. It's been one heck of a week. A little over a week ago, I was getting prepped to find you back home, back in a house. Now, I'm either on another planet or I'm on Earth in another time. I'm in a jungle/plains area…if I am on Earth, I think I'm in Africa. I thought I had found a human contact, but I was wrong…turned out to be a transformer. Yeah, a transformer. Like in the movies but actually real."_

Danny fast-forwarded the tape to the end of the last recording. _It's been awhile since I last heard that._ He reached the end and inspected the tape. He only had about four minutes left of recording. After that, there would be no more. "I guess it's time to finish this up." He pressed the record button. "Hey, Dad. It's a little odd recording to you now, knowing that you, Mom and the girls are dead."

He felt the emotions and pain well up inside him, cutting off his speech. Two tears streamed down either cheek of his face and Danny placed a hand on his face. His cries were short and choked. It was as though the reality had finally set in now that things were over. His family was gone and he was the only survivor of the Manning's.

Finally, Danny managed to stop crying and began speaking again. "Dad, I always wondered why you put me through all of those tests and trials when I was younger. In the bitterest of moments, I thought I hated you and vice versa. Now, I realize what it was all about. It was to train me for this moment, to be ready for times like these. I can say and see with full confidence that if you didn't do all of this, Dad, I wouldn't have been able to do what I've done here."

"I know that there was nothing I could do to prevent this. I couldn't prevent you from dying, even though there's some small voice telling me otherwise. There's nothing that's going to change your deaths. Part of me wishes I did know this was coming so that I could stop you from going on that safari. But who knows? If I did, we wouldn't know about Dasyu and his plans. Lord knows how his presence here could effect our dimension of Earth." He glanced back at a smiling Zainabu, who waved at him when he faced her. He looked back at the grave. "Of course, if I did know about this, I wouldn't have the most beautiful wife ever."

"You know, I always thought a home was a house. A house with a backyard, a car in the garage, a bedroom, a front porch to pick up the morning newspaper…that's what I always thought a home was. Well, I've come to realize through the last seven years that that isn't always the case."

Danny turned around to face the Pride Lands. He surveyed the lands, from the gorge river, to the geyser crevice, to the hilly regions and lastly, Pride Rock. It was an amazing sight, and the sun had set perfectly on the lands. He brought the recorder up to his mouth. "I've come to realize that home is where your family is, and this is my home now."

He turned to face the headstones. "Thank you all for everything. I'm gonna miss all of you." He sighed. "It's time for me to get going, or I'm gonna be missing my own party." He didn't even bother to place his finger on the stop button. It was going to stop in a matter of seconds. "This is Daniel Manning, Preliator, co-king of the Pride Lands, somewhere in the Lord's universe. Over and out."

The moment he said that, the recorder clicked to a stop. He used every second for this tape recording, and now it was finished. He rewound the tape all the way to the beginning and set it down in front of the headstone with his father's name. The first chapter of his life had now ended. The second one was just beginning. The tape recorder and dog tags would be the documentary and symbols regarding the first seven years.

But as Danny headed back to the speeder bike, the next few years would be interesting to find out what they would be filled with.

* * *

The sticks and branches were all placed in various piles around the base of Pride Rock. With a little gasoline and a few matches, multiple bonfires were set, illuminating the land within one hundred yards along the forefront. The glow of the fires was amazing, but it paled in comparison to the celebration around them.

The people were dancing, jumping, enjoying themselves in general. Danny found it interesting, if not odd, to see animals dancing, but he wasn't going to judge. Around the central bonfire was the pride of lions, the kings, and the royal family. Simba and Nala were watching the dancing, particularly their daughter Kiara and her new mate Kovu. Simba would've loved to dance, but he needed to recover from his injuries. He sat near the edge with Nala. Tanabi was also dancing, but only with Vitani. Danny had a good feeling those two would work out just fine together, but that was further down the line. He did want to hear Tanabi's story in the near future.

But at the center of the attention was the other king, Danny, and his newly wed wife Zainabu. They danced and spun around in the opening they had, Danny leading and Zainabu following every step. They had practiced earlier and Zainabu had caught on fairly well. Danny had spun her around and even managed a dip. Of course, his lack of experience showed when he messed up on a spin and Zainabu tripped over his extended leg. Thankfully, everyone just laughed and they kept going.

He had never experienced such happiness before, and wouldn't trade it away for the world. Danny was married to a beautiful woman, and he was so thankful to the Lord he would be able to share even more intimate moments and memories with Zainabu.

Zainabu began slowing down, a sign of her not being used to this kind of activity. Danny brought her in for a kiss, drawing a lot of "oohs" and "awwws" that was music to Danny's ears. As Zainabu sat down, Danny surprisingly grabbed Sarabi and danced with her. Unlike Zainabu in human form, Sarabi had to stand on her hind legs as Danny grabbed her paws and swung her around. Both laughed as they danced back and forth.

But as they did, Danny noticed someone sitting a little further apart from the others. That someone was Zira. She was not smiling, and looking left out. Danny knew this was not how he wanted her to feel, and that it would lead to her falling back into her old ways with no one to be there to keep her company. He looked at Sarabi and jerked his head at Zira. Sarabi looked and nodded, breaking away from him.

Danny came up to Zira. "Hey, let's dance."

Zira waved him off. "Oh, I'm not much of a dancer, Danny."

But the king wouldn't take no for an answer. He grabbed her paw, against his better judgment, and tugged her along into the opening near the bonfire. Like Sarabi, Zira ended up with her paws up in Danny's hands and was standing on her hind legs. Danny shifted her paws onto his shoulders and began dancing with her. It was a little hard to get used to, but Danny learned to compensate for the lack of a normal partner. Zira had trouble just staying balanced, but soon, a smile was put on her face.

Like Taka's when Danny was dead, her smile wasn't the smug and creepy smile before, but rather a genuinely warm smile. Zira could see the change that not only happened in him, but in her as well. Now, she could live out the remainder of her life in peace and happiness. "Thank you for giving me a second chance, Danny."

Danny gave her a hug. "Thank the Lord. I wouldn't even be here if it weren't for Him." He let her go and they parted. Sarabi and Zira sat near each other and watched the others dance.

Danny sat with Zainabu and the other Preliators. All of them were with their mates, staying close to each other, their hearts aching to make up for the lost time between them. So much had been taken care of the last few days, and Danny realized that there was no need to leave and go home; he _was_ home. His job wasn't done; Dasyu still needed to be dealt with. But for the moment, the time for celebration was prime. He watched as the entire pride-no, the people, enjoy this moment of triumph. Their other king had returned with the pride and united the Outsiders and Pride Landers as one. The internal conflict was now over, and hopefully, would remain a distant memory.

"We are all proud of you."

Danny frowned as he heard a familiar voice; the voice of his mother. _I must be hearing things._ But as he turned around, he noticed something he hadn't seen since the night he ran away from the Pride Lands during Scar's rule. Standing behind him were the ghostly images of his family and the pride members he had lost. They all wore smiles, ones filled with pride. Danny's heart filled with warmth at seeing them, but knew it was pointless to leave and get closer to them.

He smiled back at them. "Thanks for having my back all of this time."

Zainabu nudged him and Danny returned his attention back to her. He held her close in his arms, taking in her warmth and her heavenly scent. The people continued in wild jubilation, far into the night, while the pride and its band of freedom fighters watched on from the sidelines. Danny gazed at the crowds of people. They had a human for a king, but they had what they needed in him: the heart of a champion.

The internal war was now dead; both kings were united to a queen, both parts of a pride were united as one. Long live the Pride Lands.

* * *

_When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,_

_when the road you're trudging seems all uphill,_

_when the funds are low and the debts are high,_

_and you want to smile but you have to sigh,_

_when care is pressing you down a bit - rest if you must,_

_but don't you quit. _

_Life is queer with its twists and turns._

_As everyone of us sometimes learns._

_And many a fellow turns about when he might have won had he stuck it out._

_Don't give up though the pace seems slow - you may succeed with another blow. _

_Often the goal is nearer than it seems to a faint and faltering man;_

_often the struggler has given up when he might have captured the victor's cup;_

_and he learned too late when the night came down,_

_how close he was to the golden crown. _

_Success is failure turned inside out - the silver tint of the clouds of doubt,_

_and when you never can tell how close you are,_

_it may be near when it seems afar;_

_so stick to the fight when you're hardest hit - it's when things seem worst,_

_you must not quit. _

* * *

**Okay, for disclaimers, I do NOT own this poem. If I knew for sure who the author was, I'd give him credit. Sadly, there have been too many authors who have claimed it, so I have to leave the poem's author as anonymous. I can say who ISN'T the author: me.**

**I want to thank each and every one of you for reading my stories and bearing with me for both of them for the past two years. I have an acknowledgements chapter after this, so I URGE you to check it and see if your name is on it. I will include everyone I can in this, so don't assume you won't be in it.**

**As of right now, I'm taking a break from writing. I should've stuck with my original method of writing out the story first and then posting it. While I have received much more reviews from Heart of a Champion than Into the Pride, my second book has been more stressful. I plan to stick with my original methods and write out my third and final story in my trilogy, and then I will post it chapter by chapter, not as a whole. My suggestion, place me on your author alert list so that when it comes out, you will know.**

**Also, if you are a Star Fox or Beast Wars fan, be ready. I plan to write some stories in those sections of fan fiction as well. Again, thank you and check out the acknowledgements chapter. I will make a bloopers chapter, and then start reading and reviewing other stories. Let me know about them.**


	34. Acknowledgements and Fanart

**Okay, if you hit that little double arrow symbol, you came to here. The last chapter is one back. If you came from the last chapter, then continue...**

For my acknowledgements:

First, and definitely foremost, I want to thank the Lord for sending His one and only Son to pay the price on the cross for my sins, and offering me the free gift of eternal life. I don't deserve it at all, as do the rest of us. My life is His and I will serve Him wherever I may go. I also want to thank Him for the talent he has given me in writing. It still needs some refinement, but the talent is there. So credit goes to the Lord.

I also want to thank my family for all the support they have given me. I wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for them. Family is very important to me, and I love all of you.

To **MinisterSweetGoodKid** aka **MSGK**, my sister in Christ. You are one of my closest friends, and I greatly appreciate your reviews and support. Our talks together have been constructive, encouraging, and conversations that I would only share with you. There are things that only a few would understand. My prayers are with you, my friend. I look forward to reading more of your stories.

To **MonoHell**, my friend on the other side of the world. You and I have had some great conversations, and your support has been amazing. Despite the few months where both of us were too busy to talk, your reviews have been encouraging and motivating. I hope that one day, you will write your own stories. The initial draw-ups of your own ideas have been interesting and unique. I can't think of others who have done the same. Take care, bro.

To **SimbaFan**, my brother in Christ. I know we've only just met a short time ago, but we've had some good conversations between each other. I hope everything is going well, and I plan to read and review your stories first. I've heard nothing but good things about them and look forward to seeing what you have written. Take care, SF.

To **HorrorFan6**, another brother in Christ. I've greatly appreciated your reviews. Even though the type of story is not necessarily what you read, I've greatly appreciated what you've said about my story. Take care and hope to hear from you. Stay strong, bro.

To **Starzinmieyez**, you have reviewed my stories for a long time. I greatly appreciated your support in standing up for my writings and being patient for the story to be complete. I can't tell you how much your support means. Thank you.

To **Kamikazitwinkie**, like Starzinmieyez, you have been reading and critiquing my stories since the beginning. Thank you very much for that and I hope you will have the patience to wait for my last book. Keep in touch!

To **dragonbond007**, you also count in the group that has been with me since the start. Your reviews have been much appreciated, and I'm glad you liked the stories. The third story will be up hopefully in the near future, so I look forward to your reviews then.

To **Soildier**, you and I have had some…interesting conversations. I appreciate your reviews, especially the negatives. They have helped me with my weaknesses and improved in some of them. I hope you are doing well at West Point. My prayers are with you.

To **Mentoria** and **Bella Vision**, my first two friends on fan fiction. I haven't heard from either of you in a while, but I appreciate talking to you and found your story suggestions very interesting. I'll do my best to implement them in other stories when I'm done, or while I'm on this break from my trilogy. I hope to hear from you both again someday.

To **blade1108**, **loco elote**, and **RandomAccount01** aka **Josh**. All of you have given fair reviews for me. While some things were intended, others you have brought up that I will keep in check. I greatly appreciate what you have offered me because they were honest and straight from the heart(not that others haven't). I'm grateful for your reviews and hope to get more constructive reviews in the future from you three.

To **KShara Khan**, I'm glad you enjoyed the story. I hope that when I post the third story, you will still be on this site and enjoy it as you have the first two stories.

To **gw1000**, I'm happy you enjoyed this, even though you got upset with the chapter where everyone died. Don't worry, you weren't the only one who felt that way.

To **Sandan1992**, I'm not sure if you were reading my stories or not based on our PMing, but I plan to check out your stories. I've heard a lot of positive stuff from the ones you've wrote. I hope it's as good as people say they are.

To **Max to the Mike 8**, I've appreciated what your opinion is on my story. I'm also flattered that you wanted to use my character for your story, and look forward to seeing how you use him. Just don't tarnish his character, please. I look forward to your story, my friend.

To **Richard Terminator**, I also am pleased to hear from your reviews. I will look into some of your stories. If need be, I will also offer my services for beta reading, if you would like. Again, thanks for your reviews.

To **the****gunner18**, aka **gunner man**. Thanks for your reviews on my story, and I'm glad you like it. Sorry I haven't gotten back to you in a long time, but I plan to change that soon. I hope you do eventually post the MW2 story. It was good from what I had read, and it just needed some refinement on grammar.

To **Sgt. Nolisten**, **EPICMANEUVER**, and **Mass effect fanatic n7**. I haven't heard from you guys in a while, but your reviews meant a lot to me. I hope to hear from all of you soon and that you are doing well.

To **Sparklie-the-Tiger**, I haven't heard from you in a while. I'm not sure if you were just reading and planning to write one, big review. But I greatly appreciate your support and encouragement. I hope everything is going well for you.

To **beastwarsmaster**, like the rest, your reviews were appreciated. If your name suggests it, I hope you enjoy any stories I post in the Beast Wars section. Take care!

To **White Fang Fan**, your reviews early on were ones that helped keep me going when it got tough. I hope you are doing well and hope to hear from you again.

To **Genghis the Khan**, **Darius the Dragon**, **Grandi Papa**, **DD**, **lukestarr451**, **Demondogg666**, **Orange-Eyed**, **lionking lover 22**, **shadowtiger 23**, **nkowlifelight**, **sin dragon**, **Jc**, **Seniorcopycat**, **Peace to You**, **friend of the hippies**, **rockon**, **Sharks Potter**, **Sarah Jackson - The Other**, and **PieAnnamay07**. Thank you for your reviews, and I hope you've been reading the story this whole time. I also hope it was worth waiting for all this time too.

To anyone I missed, I'm thankful for your reviews and your time in reading my two stories. I hope everyone has enjoyed this story, and hope to be around when the last one comes. It could be in a couple months, it could be in a couple years. Again, the best course of action is to put me on your author alert list so that it pops up in your email. Take care and God Bless!

Bloopers will be up shortly.

**Food for thought**: I plan on creating my own website for these stories. One big thing going onto it, if it doesn't fall through, is fanart. If you have a talent in fanart, send me some based on my stories and I will give you full credit on it. If you want to send it early, contact me via PM and I'll give you my email address. Art is not my forte by any stretch of the imagination. Also, story suggestions to me will be looked over and considered for future stories.


	35. Bloopers Part II

__**Okay, this was long overdue. Here are the bloopers to my story. Since the first story's bloopers were such a good hit, I decided to make some more. I'll be honest, I'm running out of ideas. Please send me a few to remember for my final story. Enjoy!**

_**First scene, Danny's dream…**_

"Such a shame." Danny turned to his left to the eerily familiar voice. He looked into the barrel of a pistol. He couldn't make out who the figure was, as the dim light and his blurry vision made it impossible to identify him. The figure let out a low, dark laugh. "Welcome to my world, Danny."

The gun clicked, ending the scene. "Cut," the director said.

Danny cracked up, laughing all the way to the ground. "Yeah, that world is not very intimidating." He deepened his tone to mimic Dasyu's. "Welcome to my world. Click."

Dasyu shook his head. "This one won't be much worth." He pulled out a paintball pistol from behind. "But this might do the trick." He fired three shots into Danny's side.

"OUCH!" Danny screamed in pain. He wasn't expecting that, but the hilarity of the situation dulled the pain, but not his mood or his laughter.

_**Scene where Danny first arrives in the Pride Lands…**_

He landed the ship and powered down the ship. A system fault went off and he activated the missile safety locks. With the fault taken care of, the ship powered down. Danny walked to the ramp and pulled the lever down. He looked out at the Pride Lands and took in a deep breath. "There's no place like home." He walked down the ramp.

He realized too late the tripwire wrapped around the legs of the ramp, and fell face first into the ground. He swore as the crew around him laughed. "You jerks! Why do you do that!" He sighed. "This is the second time that I should realize this trap."

_**Timon and Pumbaa scene, following Kiara on her hunt…**_

Timon and Pumbaa both hid behind the trees. Stealth was the key. They had to watch Kiara closely without being spotted. Crawling on their bellies, they stopped at a log. Timon crawled into the log while Pumbaa dove behind it.

The meerkat reached the end of the log, which was protruding up into the air. Borrowing a line from Danny, he held his hand out as if he were holding a radio. "Tango-Charlie-Alpha, what's your position?"

Pumbaa frowned, not sure how to answer that question. "Uh…upright. Head turned slightly to the left, paintballs incoming."

"Why do I bother?" He looked toward Kiara, and then realized something. "Wait. Paintballs incoming? What the-" As he turned around, the hard pattering of paintballs against the log caused him to duck back into the log.

Pumbaa wasn't so fortunate, as he got hit twice by paintballs. The barrage continued for a good thirty seconds before stopping, which seemed like an eternity for the dynamic duo.

Timon popped his head out. "Hey! What do you think you are doing!" He was immediately rewarded with a paintball shot to the chest, knocking him out of the log.

In the distance, Timon could see Zainabu, the human version, standing in the distance with a paintball gun in hand. He could also hear her dying of laughter, as well as the crew.

He rolled his eyes. "Why me? Why do these things always happen to me?"

_**Haraka and his family eating a carcass. The hyena pack shows up for food…**_

A pack of six hyenas came strolling up, drool dripping from their mouths. The cheetahs, not willing to abandon their brothers, stood their ground. Both sides bared teeth as tension began mounting. The lead hyena walked up to them. "Gee, thanks for getting the food for us, guys. We can take it from here."

Hakimu stepped up. "We caught this food, it belongs to us."

The hyena growled. "Well, we're taking it now. If you want to keep this up, we can add you to the list as well."

There was a long time where a word wasn't said. All of them were expecting a shotgun blast at any moment. After twenty seconds and no shot, they started looking around. Haraka frowned. "Uh…isn't this the part where Danny comes in?"

Then he heard something on the television behind the crew. "So you understand what I'm saying?" The voice was high and loud.

The second voice sounded nervous. "Y-Yes!"

"Describe what Marcellus Wallace looks like."

The nervous voice came back. "W-What? I-"

The demanding voice came back. "Say 'what' again. Say 'what' again. I dare you. I double-dare you…"

Behind the television, laughing hysterically was Danny. He apparently forgot that he was supposed to be on-set, and the director made it known on the megaphone. "Danny! What are you doing! Get on set. We're filming and you're supposed to be coming in."

Danny realized what was going on and turned off the television. "I'm sorry, sir. I was just getting caught up in a movie."

"No pun intended, right?" The director asked rhetorically. "Get over here and get ready."

_**Scene where Zira and Simba take their cubs Kiara and Kovu and go their separate ways…**_

Danny managed a laugh in Zira's direction. "I can't believe she still thinks Scar rules this land. Maybe she sees his ghost walking around here."

Zainabu shook her head. "She reminds me of Danny Woodcock."

"D-Danny Woodcock?" Danny cracked up, followed by letting loose a loud, hysterical laugh. He fell to the ground and just laid there, not doing anything but laugh to no end.

"Cut," the director said, sounding like he was going to join Danny in laughing.

Zainabu furrowed her brow, but couldn't fight the smile. "What? What'd I say?"

Danny answered in between breaths. "His…name is Danny…Woodhead. HAHA!" He began laughing again. Even the crew was laughing for the most part.

_**Nuka and Vitani scene on where Kovu was…**_

"Did you leave him out there again?"

Nuka was busy scratching his neck. "Hey, it's every lion for himself out here. That little termite's got to learn how to live on his own."

Vitani narrowed her eyes, almost to slits. "Mother's going to be mad. She told you to _watch him_."

Nuka waved her off. "Oh, who cares? I should've been the chosen one." He pressed his back up to the upended branch, rubbing against it. "I'm the oldest, I'm the strongest, I'm the smartest…OH, THESE TERMITES!"

He angrily took a swipe, and that swipe tore right through a bee's hive. Angry bees flew out and began stinging Nuka in a rage. The lion began running around, screaming bloody murder. "Agh! Oh, God! AAAGGGHHHH! OOHHH MMYYY GOODDDDD!"

Vitani shook her head. "Note to self: never be near this guy and a bee hive at the same time."

_**Danny is supposed to be on set, and finds a surprise guest filming in his place: the wrong Manning…**_

Danny grabbed his M4 rifle and headed for the set. "Another set with lions. What else is new in my world here?"

He had to film over by the river where the crocodiles were, and was not looking forward to that. He rounded the corner and began hearing a man with a southern accent speaking, a familiar one too. Danny frowned. _What the…?_

Up on the set, in front of a live camera, was a man with a blue jersey with the number 18 on the front and back. He was wearing a black wig and a mustache. He was also holding a phone to hold up to the camera. "You can watch exclusive highlights of all your favorite players…" He held up the phone to the camera. "…like Peyton Manning. That guy's great. I mean, if you like 6'5", 230lb quarterbacks…laser, rocket arm."

The director also came out and saw what was going on. "Uh, what are you doing here, sir?"

Peyton turned to see the director. "I was told they needed Mr. Manning to film for something. I asked what for, and they said that I know why. I don't know why my agent told me I had to come out to Africa to do it."

"Uh, sir, you weren't the Manning they were talking about."

"Then who?"

Danny walked up, excitement coursing through him. "That's me, Mr. Manning." He held out his rifle. "I'm a big fan of yours. Could you autograph this rifle for me?"

Uh, yeah. Sure thing." Peyton took the rifle and signed with the white highlighter he was given. He handed it back to Danny.

"Thank you very much. Hope you come back next season and win the Super Bowl again." Danny took off with the rifle, waving it high in the air. "Yes! I got this rifle signed by Peyton Manning. _The _Peyton Manning, everyone!"

Peyton just stared at the crazed fool. "That's a strange guy."

_**Danny and Dasyu are fighting…**_

Danny got some space, but didn't have it for long. Dasyu quickly charged him, but Danny dodged the charge. He swung at Dasyu's midsection, but it rebounding as if it were made out of Plexiglas. Dasyu just looked at him and laughed. "You're gonna have to try better than that."

He swung a punch at Danny. The punch came too fast, and ending up hitting Danny in the face before he was able to duck. Dasyu cursed. "I'm sorry, man. Are you okay?" He tried his hardest not to laugh.

"You just punched me in the face. No, I'm not okay." The medical team came on set to look at Danny and assess the injury. "Good thing I got good health insurance."

_**Take two…**_

"Had enough or do you want some more?"

The leader of the Specters smiled. "Actually, I was about to ask you the same question." He swung the wrench he was still holding right in between Danny's legs. Hard. He wasn't supposed to hit Danny, but he did.

Danny felt the pain hit him immediately. It was a horrible, aching pain. He dropped his pipe and fell down, clutching his groin area. "You jackass. You weren't supposed to actually hit me in the balls."

A couple people were laughing, and Danny caught it. "Yeah, when you guys take a shot to the manhood, we'll see who's laughing."

_**Final scene with Bren and Danny…**_

As he finished, Bren turned to face Danny. "Most of the time, us Specters are looked at as killers. Robots who feel no emotion, no remorse; we're just cold and efficient pillers."

Danny frowned, and then smiled. "What? What the heck is pillers?"

"Cut," the director said.

Danny laughed. "Pillers, heh…pill-poppers." He joked, pretending to down some pills.

"Shut up," Bren said.

_**Take two…**_

As he finished, Bren turned to face Danny. "Most of the time, us Specters are looked at as killers. Robots who feel no emotion, no remedy…"

Danny caught it and started laughing. "Remedy…yeah…"

Bren cursed. "I'm gonna get this down."

_**Take three…**_

As he finished, Bren turned to face Danny. "Most of the time, us Specters are looked at as killers."

That was as far as he got, as Danny cracked up again. "That was me this time. I am so sorry. Let's try it again."

_**Behind the scene where Danny and Zainabu are arguing…**_

"Look, all I'm asking is that you stay with us, Danny."

"And all I'm saying is that I have to do this. I have to go head back for my friend's wedding. He's been a good friend of mine, and I'm not going to let him down."

Zainabu huffed. "So you waited until now to tell everyone this?"

Danny let his emotions get the best of him. "Ugh! Quit prompting me, woman." He immediately realized what he had said, and covered his mouth. _Oh my God. What just came out of my mouth?_

Now, he was at the mercy of Zainabu, who just stared at him in awkward silence for ten seconds. "Quit…prompting…me…woman." She exhaled sharply. "Honey, I don't know how you talk at home, but at me…woman?"

End Behind Scenes moment…

_**Xev and Striker watch Danny fight Boronas on screen…**_

Xev furrowed her brows, confused. "What is he doing?"

"I think the head-to-head approach is kinda obvious," Striker said sarcastically.

Xev gave an sigh of annoyance. "I know that. But why would he do that? It's suicide."

"Well, yeah. He lost his family, he's got no hope left, so he wants to drive his ship into Boronas and end his misery," Striker said jokingly, not meaning any of it.

Xev broke out laughing and cursing. "He makes me laugh. I don't know how many scenes I can do with this guy without laughing like this."

Everyone laughed at the joke, except the director. "Stop laughing! You ruined it, you ruined it. Come on, we're wasting film."

_**Malka and Danny talk about the latter leaving for good…**_

Danny looked downcast. "Malka…the last few months have been eating away at me. Without contact of my kind in years, it's been having drastic effects. I can never have children, I've been eating meat and whatever fruit I can find, and there are things I can't do here that I miss back home. I can't play the games I truly enjoy, like football. I'm unable to talk about things that I can normally talk about with other humans."

"Danny…what are you saying?" Malka asked.

Zainabu had a bad feeling in her gut, and what Danny said next confirmed it. "Malka…I'm thinking of leaving."

Malka looked surprised. "Are you serious? You want to leave?" He shook his head. "After everything we've been through. Lion King 1, Lion King 2, and we were set to do Lion King 3 together." He started laughing, as did Danny and everyone else. "How could you do this to us?"

_**Off the set. Timon and Pumbaa are sleeping and supposed to be on-set…**_

Timon and Pumbaa were sleeping against each other behind the boulder. They needed some sleep and were hoping no one would find them on the rock behind the tree near the set. Pumbaa snored silently, as silently as a warthog could, anyways.

Soon, they could hear a voice: Danny's. "Timon…Pumbaa…wake up. We've got filming to do."

Timon waved him off. "Go away, pal."

Pumbaa stretched and opened his eyes in the direction of Danny's voice. His eyes widened immediately at what he saw. "Incoming!" He rolled off behind the rock just as paintballs splattered over where he had been. Timon woke up, recognizing the sound and rolling off as well. The rock was now multiple colors from the expended paint that Danny shot at them.

When he stopped, he heard Timon shouting at him. "What's with the paintball guns! Why do you people always pick on us? We're just trying to get some sleep."

Danny laughed and waved at the camera filming the whole thing. "Bub-bye."

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own Lion King, I don't own Pulp Fiction, and I certainly don't own Peyton Manning nor am I a Colts fan.**


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